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Chapter 940: Eve of the Storm

The air twisted and merged to form a beautiful white bird in the empty space. It flapped its wings and soared to the sky when suddenly it came to a halt along with the beautiful voice. Then, it cracked and burst like a bubble and vanished into thin air.

"Stop."

Christie put down her right hand and the Knowledge Scroll unrolled on its own. The feather pen in her hand transformed into a gentle ray of light that twirled around her finger, turning into a platinum ring. Christie let out a sigh, wiping the sweat off her forehead. Although she successfully released a spell that would shock all spell casters on this continent, she was still dissatisfied.

"The duration is too short... It still doesn't work..."

"You've done well."

At this moment, a familiar voice sounded as she muttered under her breath. She couldn't be more familiar with this voice. It was in fact from her other self.

"But... it's not... enough...!"

Although her voice was almost inaudible, one would discover the stubbornness and determination behind her words. This wasn't enough for Christie. As she often battled with her other self, she experienced the difference in strength between them. When her other self controlled this body, she felt an enormous pool of energy flowing in her body like an endless supply of water from the ocean. The powerful strength was as though an unstoppable, roaring flood. But when she tried to control her body, the powers were like a toppling water basin. At this moment, Christie could only cast the Knowledge Scroll for less than a minute before diminishing all her spiritual powers. All she managed to do was to draw that bird.

"The Knowledge Scroll isn't meant for long battles in the first place, Christie. Your constitution predetermined that you would not gain the ability to directly abstract spiritual powers like me. Although you can achieve it through training, you will be permanently hurt if you allow a massive flow of spiritual powers into your body without anyone's guidance. Christie, you are not like Sir Rhode. You have a constitution of a human and due to the corrosion of your bloodline, your constitution is weaker than that of ordinary people. So all you need to do now is calm down, lay out a solid foundation, and strengthen your powers, and at the same time consider your battle style. Don't be overly anxious, Christie."

"Okay..."

Christie nodded to her other self's advice. She sat down, shut her eyes, and began meditating. Bell stood quietly beside her and gazed curiously. At this moment, Bell wore an elegant dress and held a heavy book in her hand. Although she seemed largely similar to an ordinary girl, the two daggers on her waist were exceptionally eye-catching.

Ever since Bell left the refuge, she had been by Christie's side as her playmate and servant. Just as Rhode expected, they were as close as sisters now. But even so, Bell couldn't understand why Christie insisted on going through this tough training. She was also aware of Christie's poor health to some extent, so she had rather Christie leave the battling to her other self. On the other hand, Bell would also be protecting her, so why did Christie insist in training?

Knock knock knock.

At this moment, someone knocked on the door. Bell knitted her brows and turned to Christie, who was meditating. Then, she stood up, and went to the door, and opened it gently, only to see a young lady who was about the same height as her.

"Ah, Bell. Is Christie around?"

Mini Bubble Gum peeped curiously through the slightly open gap in the door. Bell moved away to let her see Christie meditating and Mini Bubble Gum lowered her voice.

"She's meditating again... Little Christie sure is serious about her training. Sigh... If only she were a player because this level of determination would surely get her to a pretty decent position in Starlight..."

Mini Bubble Gum curled her lips and shifted her gaze to Bell.

"By the way, I'm looking for Big Sister. Has Big Sister been here?"

"..."

Bell pondered before finally realizing that this 'Big Sister' was actually referring to the young lady who often guided Christie along and had the same name as a bird—Canary. Bell shook her head.

"No? How strange... Where did she go? Forget it, I'll go check out the tower. Thanks~"

Mini Bubble Gum patted Bell's shoulder before turning around and disappeared in a swoosh. Bell shook her head speechlessly. Although they were about the same age, Bell could never understand what was going through Mini Bubble Gum's head. The things that Mini Bubble Gum said was hard to understand and sometimes Bell didn't know if she was soliloquizing or speaking to someone...

Bell closed the door carefully so as to not make any unnecessary noises before returning to her seat. She held the book in her hands and continued her reading. After a few moments, she heard Christie's voice.

"Bell... What's wrong?... Was someone... looking for me?"

"..."

Bell looked up and simply shook her head. After all, they had spent a long time together and Christie was used to communicating with her this way. In fact, Christie thought that it wasn't great for Bell to constantly keep close to her. This made it difficult for Christie, but it wasn't because she wasn't used to Bell following her around. Instead, she hoped that Bell could have more space for herself and there was no need to sacrifice so much of her time. At this moment, Christie's eyes glinted and she clapped her hands softly.

"Right... Bell... Shall we look for Rhode... and play?"

This was an exceptionally peaceful afternoon for Marlene. She had been leading such a life after she came to Grandia. As the internal affairs gradually moved on to the right track, her burdens also slowly lessened. Although there were many people requiring care and comfort, she was glad that no one dared to stir up trouble within the dragon soul protection. The territory was slowly getting on the right track while the lacking areas were slowly improving. This gave Marlene an unprecedented feeling of satisfaction. Even though she had been doing similar work in the past, managing a country and territory was completely different, after all. Although Rhode didn't think that Void Territory was a country, to Marlene who was politically sensitive, she knew what Rhode was planning. In fact, apart from an official founding ceremony and the name, the Void Territory was no different from an independent country.

Even though Marlene believed that formal nation-building would be more beneficial for Rhode, she still preferred this model in terms of feelings. As a noblewoman, she witnessed several groups of people splitting up internally after achieving success. If Rhode were to build an official country, she and the others would have formal roles and positions. This way, it would gradually make their originally close relationship turn indifferent. Marlene couldn't imagine herself calling Lize 'Madam' with a stern expression. She would also support Rhode fully if he ever decided to follow this model, but since he had no intention of turning his territory into a strict, formal setting, she would gladly accept it.

Knock knock.

As Marlene placed the feather pen down, Lize knocked on the door and entered with a pile of documents.

"Marlene, this is what you requested earlier for the floating boat routes in the territory..."

"Oh. Thanks a lot, Lize."

Marlene revealed a gentle smile, took over the documents, and placed them on the table. After setting up the 'Wind Enchanted Field', Rhode handed the job of planning the shipping routes for the floating boats to her. Although flying in midair should be carefree, she knew that they wouldn't truly benefit from this rare occurrence without shipping routes. Fortunately, the Senia Family was a producer of magical floating boats so this wasn't challenging for them.

Coincidentally, the Senia Family's migration had also just begun. They returned the territories under their control to Lydia. Although they had a great time working with the Munn Kingdom's royal family all these years, the falling leaf had to return to its roots since they had already achieved their mission. Moreover, Marlene had also awakened as one of the six Deity Wardens. With the magical technologies of the Senia Family, fertile land, and abundant resources in the Void Territory and Marlene's knowledge as the Wisdom Deity Warden, it was imaginable that the Senia Family would become even stronger in the near future. On the other hand, Lydia wasn't surprised by their decision as this was agreed upon in the royal agreement and the Senia Family handed all the magical technology blueprints and intelligence that they had researched to the royal family. Both parties parted without hard feelings and showed respect for each other.

In fact, Marlene suspected that perhaps Lydia learned about Rhode's identity a long time ago. Although the Senia Family attained outstanding achievements after the internal battle last year, they were only awarded with honorable rewards from Lydia. Everyone expected Marlene, who performed impressively, to become a territorial overlord. In the end, she was only awarded with the title of a Court Scholar and this caused a relatively huge uproar among the higher nobles, where they suspected that the Senia Family was losing Lydia's favor. Now it seemed like ever since that moment, Lydia was prepared for this possible future.

"How's the situation?"

Lize asked as she gazed at the documents spread out on Marlene's table. Although Lize was also Rhode's adjutant in terms of identity, the things that she could do were limited. In fact, the only time when Lize gave orders as an adjutant was during the battle between the North and South. Most of the time she carried out logistics work and support for the guild as a Cleric. Lize was determined to change now that Rhode had established the Void Territory, which explained why she came to learn about political affairs from Marlene. She hoped to become a qualified adjutant one day.

"The situation is slowly turning better. Once the system is set up, everything else will operate fine."

Marlene displayed a relieved smile. She tidied the documents on the table, put them aside, and gazed at Lize with a sly smile.

"By the way, shall we look for Rhode at night for some tea after our work is done?"

"I..."

Lize blushed because she knew what Marlene was hinting at. Although Marlene said to have some tea, both Lize and her knew what would happen thereafter. If it were others who suggested it, Lize would be embarrassed. But she wasn't too mindful since it was Marlene. She nodded slightly and sat down, preparing to start the final task...

Everything is proceeding as methodically arranged.

"Huhuhu... Interesting."

Gillian swayed her fluffy tail proudly. This fox-eared young lady was seated leisurely on a chair with her right hand supporting her chin lazily. She displayed an amusing smile while gazing at the screens before her. At this moment, she was in a round, enormous black space without a trace of light. The air and walls were filled with live mirror projections. This was where Rhode had set up the Projection Crystal. Through this crystal, he could easily attain information about everything that was happening in the Void Territory like a center that controlled countless surveillance cameras. If it weren't for Sara, this item was basically worthless. As the intelligence supporter of the territory, Gillian naturally held the rights to enter this space and monitor the territory. But judging from her proud, wagging tail, it seemed more like she was using this position for personal gain.

"Hmm, not too shabby, Little Sara. Hehe. I knew that this day would come and Master is so gonna have a hard time. I can't wait... By the way, Little Sara, can you help me find where Miss Canary is?"

"Of course, Madam Gillian."

Sara casually extended her hand and waved over the Projection Crystal. Shortly after, one of the countless screens was enlarged and clearly showed where Canary and Mini Bubble Gum were. Gillian's eyes flashed in a dazzling glint.

"Huhuhu. This is getting interesting. It seems like I can get involved with the fun. Alright, thanks for your help, Little Sara. I shall make a move!"

Gillian said wittily before vanishing in a glaring magical radiance and the entire space returned to its initial peace. Sara, who was sitting quietly before the Projection Crystal, turned to where Gillian had stood before shifting her gaze back to the crystal.

"Have a safe trip, Madam Gillian."

This was just a boring time on an ordinary day for Rhode. But even so, he didn't forget his duties as an overlord. After waking up in the morning, he strolled around to check on how the immigrants were adapting. However, the results weren't satisfying for him. With the three humanoids around, the migration work was neatly carried out and the recruitment of soldiers from the natives had also begun. The weapons and armor provided by the Senia Family resolved the problem of insufficient armament to a certain extent. Rhode couldn't help but feel pleased at the sight of his developing territory. Although things in the real world weren't digitized like in the game, he admired the strong adaptability of humans, judging by the fact that the buildings and towns were built from nothing...

It was already evening when he returned to the palace in Grandia. The tranquil palace bathed in the gentle, silver moon rays. He heard the fairies' joyous singing in the distance, which blended perfectly with the sound of a clear water stream to form a beautiful melody.

If it were possible, I wish I could lead such a carefree life forever...

Rhode sighed because he knew that things wouldn't turn out as he dreamed. This peacefulness was only temporary. In the near future, his territory would face another dangerous battle. He shrugged at this thought before turning around and heading back to his room. As he stood before his room door, he realized that there was a guest.

"Ah, S-Sir Rhode! Good evening!"

"Lapis?"

Rhode was astonished to see this young lady wrapped tightly in a cloak. This was the first time he witnessed this young lady leave her workshop without a command. But come to think of it, he did ask her to take a break. Although he didn't know why she looked for him, it was better than her hiding in the workshop all day and constantly creating explosions.

"Is anything the matter?"

Rhode asked, noticing her anxiousness. At the same time, he sized her up swiftly. For some unknown reason, the impression that she gave him felt a little different today. Although she seemed the same as usual, he found her a little more... Sexy?

This was truly strange. She wasn't wearing any revealing clothes and seemed even more conservative than usual. Apart from her neck and head, her entire body was wrapped in a cloak. But Rhode realized that he couldn't stop looking at her neck and fair, dewy cheeks that gave him the excitement as though he was appreciating a woman's most hidden and alluring charm.

What's with this?

He puckered his brows at this thought. He was sure that this Lapis standing before him wasn't disguised by someone else. But... He still felt rather strange.

Forget it. It should be nothing much anyway.

Rhode didn't take it to heart because it was Lapis standing before him; Lapis, who was second to Christie in terms of honesty. He wouldn't believe that she would harbor any ill intentions. Besides, it would be too hard for her to influence him with her abilities. After all, the creator dragon's attributes weren't only there for show.

"Anyway, come in. We'll talk inside."

Rhode opened the door and entered. Lapis shrunk slightly upon seeing his back but quickly gnashed her teeth.

You can do it, Lapis! This is your final chance! You must succeed!

Lapis took out the bottle of potion from the fold of her clothes and took a sip. Then, she mustered up her courage, lifted her head, and entered the room.

Chapter 941: We Still Don't Know What Happened That Night (1)

Lapis scanned the room curiously. Come to think of it, this was her first time entering Rhode's room in Grandia. It wasn't as luxurious as she expected and could even be considered rather simple. An elegant table, chairs, wardrobe, and a thick fur carpet made up most of the decorations in the room. The only striking thing was the large, five-meter-wide bed. In addition to some ornamental plants, that was all the things in the room.

"What's wrong, Lapis?"

Lapis turned around and looked at him anxiously.

"Ah... Nothing's wrong... Nothing, Sir Rhode."

"Come to think of it, is anything the matter for dropping by now?"

Rhode swept a glance at the nervous Lapis. He casually pulled out a chair and sat opposite her with crossed arms. He didn't feel strange about her behavior. Although she seemed like a mouse shaking in front of a cat, this was how she had always been. If she were to behave as calmly and steadily as Marlene, he would be more suspicious. Lapis bit her lip and pondered for a few moments before finally mustering her courage.

"Erm... Erm... Sir Rhode!"

"Hmm?"

Her voice was so loud at the end that it startled him. Then, she reached into the folds of her clothes for a small basket and slid it across the table to him.

"T-This is the biscuit that I baked!"

"Biscuit?"

Rhode couldn't figure out what was happening. Could it be that she was mimicking Valentine's Day? But Valentine's Day was months ago. Although there was a similar holiday in this world, it would only take place at the end of autumn which was still a few months away. What exactly was she planning to do, bringing out a basket of biscuits?

"Ah. T-This... Yes! I heard from Miss Canary about the food storage problem while marching, so I made these biscuits. By the way, I even used alchemy to modify them. They turned out great after some experiments, so I would like you to try, Sir Rhode. I wonder if... you'll like it?"

Lapis was so nervous that she stuttered her words but Rhode finally understood her intention. He waved his hand casually at the sight of her almost bursting into tears.

"In other words, these biscuits are for me?"

"Y-Yes, Sir Rhode. I've also prepared some red tea..."

Lapis reached for the exquisite tea set inside the spatial bracelet and laid them on the table. Then, she poured tea into the teacup in a fluster. Rhode had to admit that Lapis was too tragic to look at compared to professionals like Angelina, Agatha, or Marlene. The way that Lapis poured tea lacked the elegance of nobles and even gave an illusion of her adding a drug into it, especially after she mixed up the ratio of milk and sugar.

I suppose this can be drunk... Right?

Rhode twitched his brow slightly. Even though he wasn't a noble and didn't particularly enjoy having tea, he had his fair share of different flavored teas with Marlene, Lize, Angelina, and Celestina, who treated tea as important as their lives. The pure tea and milk teas that he drank had normal colors. But this... was green in color.

Is this really 'red' tea?

It turned blue after milk is added?

What kind of chemical reaction is that?

I won't die... Right?

Since she prepared everything for him with kind intentions, it wouldn't be nice of him to request for more. Anyway, he wasn't in battle now, so he didn't need to be so anxious and solemn. Moreover, even though Lapis seemed panicky, the things that she brought seemed reliable. Also, he was really confident in his Void Dragon attributes. No matter what, he should be fine after drinking it.

Rhode lifted the cup, took a sip of the 'red' tea that had turned 'deep blue', and grabbed a biscuit just in case he needed it. This was fairly simple to understand. One would need a piece of candy to cancel out the bitterness of Chinese medicine. In this case, the biscuit was his candy.

"Hmm?"

But to his surprise, the tea wasn't as strange as he imagined. On the contrary, it was oddly rich and even though it didn't seem like red tea, the taste was almost the same. Besides, he didn't feel unwell and this proved that it was just a pure cup of red tea (despite the totally different look). Rhode let his guard down and began savoring the tea and biscuits.

"Hmm... It's not bad at all. Although the tea doesn't look similar to red tea, I didn't expect you to be talented in this, Lapis. I thought you weren't interested in anything else other than alchemy. I'm really surprised."

"Phew..."

Lapis heaved a long sigh of relief as though she had accomplished a mission and stole a glance at him. Everything is good. As long as I continue... there won't be any issues with my plan when that moment comes.

This was the first time Lapis relaxed herself entirely but at this moment...

"Leader, Anne is back!"

The door swung open and Anne appeared by the doorway.

"Anne?!"

Lapis jumped from her seat as though she was jolted by an electric shock. Anne blinked and looked at Lapis curiously.

"Lapis, why are you here? This is the first time Anne sees you outside of the workshop. Why? Did Leader make you do anything fun?"

"No, I... I... was only..."

Lapis was at her wits' end. She totally didn't expect the situation to turn out this way. According to her plan, she would be the only one spending this perfect night with Rhode. She didn't foresee anyone joining them and now... this was often the case as theory separated itself from reality, wasn't it?

At this moment, Rhode waved his hand with an airy gesture.

"Lapis made some biscuits for me. Do you want to have some?"

"Of course!"

Eating, playing, and sleeping were the three biggest funs for Anne. Her curiosity piqued the instant she heard that there was food made by Lapis. She scuttled for a chair, grabbed a piece of biscuit, and was about to throw it into her mouth when suddenly, Lapis came to her senses and was startled.

"Wait!"

"Hmm?"

But it was too late.

Anne chewed the biscuit and looked at her curiously. Lapis gaped but didn't say a word.

"N-Nothing... Anne, do you like the taste of the biscuit...?"

"Yes, it's delicious. Anne likes it and didn't expect that you could bake, Lapis."

Anne grabbed another biscuit and munched it. Lapis sighed helplessly and gave up stopping her. Since she had already eaten, it didn't matter if she ate one or ten because the effects would still be the same. If she knew that this would happen, she could have chosen to bake a cake instead.

As Lapis pondered in silence, Anne continued to savor the tasty biscuits while Rhode casually sipped the tea in his own world. But... Lapis realized that some troubles were ahead. She lowered her head and her gaze drifted around the teacup before her. She suddenly broke out in a thin layer of sweat and not only that, but her breathing also hastened... She was clearly aware that the effects were slowly taking place.

This wasn't a potion targeted at Rhode. She had been customizing equipment and potions for a long time, so she was aware that even if she were to create a 'charm' potion, it wouldn't be too effective on him. As a researcher, this level of rationale was still present. Therefore, she had no intention of creating a potion that would make Rhode fall in love with her because she knew that it wouldn't work. So... She modified the effects of the potion instead.

She added a potion to the red tea and biscuit that could enhance the attractiveness of the person who consumed either of them. This way, as long as both parties were of opposite genders and consumed either the tea or biscuit, they would be attracted to each other. All in all, it was a potion that could increase one's charm to gain a favorable impression. But this time, the reason why Lapis created this potion was to break the obstacle in her mind. She knew that under normal circumstances she wouldn't have the courage to confess her love to him, which explained why she came up with this idea. Once she was attracted to him to the point of no restrain, she would then dare to bravely speak her mind. Of course, this potion was unlike a 'charm' potion that could twist and change one's will. On the contrary, it was a potion to 'enhance charm', which wouldn't be negated by Rhode. It was only through this way that she could reduce the failure rate of her confession. After all, she was clearly aware that she couldn't compete with the other beauties and be high up in the rankings. And yet, she was unwilling to not try at all...

All in all, this was no different from spitting out the truth after having wine, but Lapis saw and resolved this problem from a researcher's point of view... Frankly speaking, if she knew that this would happen, she would rather chug a few bottles of beer and make herself drunk.

But now, the effects were taking place.

She sharply sensed that Rhode's presence was slowly becoming bigger, taller, and much more attractive. If Anne weren't here, she would have used this opportunity to confess. But now... How could she say something like this!

While Lapis's mind was in complete chaos, two young ladies knocked on the door and entered the room.

"Rhode, do you have time... Hmm? Lapis?"

Why did this happen?

The corners of Lapis's mouth twitched as she turned to the two young ladies.

"Good evening, Miss Marlene and Miss Lize..."

Chapter 942: We Still Don't Know What Happened That Night (2)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Why did this happen?

Lapis couldn't understand where exactly her plan went wrong. But now, it was all too late.

What should have been a quiet room for Rhode and her turned into a bustling one. Other than Anne, Marlene, and Lize who were in the room, Canary and Mini Bubble Gum also brought Angelina over. Then, Gillian came out of nowhere too. Now, the perfect and dreamy tea session became a lively gathering. Lapis was completely speechless.

But she didn't know that the main reason for this was due to her.

If only Anne were around, Lize and Marlene wouldn't have stayed because they knew what would happen next. Besides, Anne wasn't one who would be mindful of sharing the same bed. So in order to ensure their 'safety', Lize and Marlene usually wouldn't stay in the room alone with Anne. But after seeing Lapis around, they temporarily gave up this thought because no matter what, Lapis didn't have such an intimate relationship with Rhode yet. With her around, at least they wouldn't be rolling on the bed with Anne.

It was the same for Mini Bubble Gum. She had decided to take the initiative and wait for the tea session to be over. As long as she followed Canary's instructions, things would turn out fine if she looked for Rhode afterward. This was why Mini Bubble Gum and Canary remained in the room while Angelina stayed close to them as a servant. As for Gillian... From the start, she had been showing a peculiar, cunning smile as though she was enjoying the show.

In other words, the main reason why things ended up this way was due to Lapis's harmless presence!

But now, Lapis wasn't in the mood to consider these issues. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she gazed at the basket before her. The biscuits and red tea were almost finished. No matter what, no young lady could resist eating them and this meant that everyone had taken the potion. As for the results... Lapis didn't even want to think about it!

Not only Lapis, but Rhode also felt that something was amiss.

For some unknown reasons, he felt rather excited and no matter which young lady he turned to, he would fantasize having intimate touches with her. Not only that, but he also discovered that his head was filled with erotic images of them in bed. It felt as though he was a man who finally came out of solitary and had seen women for the first time in his life. Furthermore, with his rich experiences with women in bed, his fantasies were much more realistic. Fortunately for him, his determination level was high and could easily suppress his urges. But he had begun considering if he should hold Marlene and the others back to fulfill his desires. However... Changes always came faster than the plan. Oftentimes, necessarily things wouldn't change simply due to his will.

"Leader! Anne can't take it anymore!"

At this moment, Anne pounced on Rhode, embracing and forcing her lips on his.

"Mmm... Mmm..."

The young lady's aromatic scent assailed his nostrils and he widened his eyes in astonishment. At the same time, time had as though been frozen and the clamors were instantly silenced.

"A-Anne?"

Rhode pulled her away and looked at her in surprise, but the young lady didn't seem to realize what she had done. She was blushing and looking at him with a thrilled glint in her eyes. Rhode was familiar with this expression but the problem was that... It wasn't an appropriate time for that!

"Leader, let's do it. Anne can't wait any longer. Anne loves Leader the most today! Let's do it!"

Anne quickly stripped her armor and wrapped her arms around him. The other young ladies didn't stop her immediately. Instead, they blushed while watching the adult-rated show. On the other hand, Gillian also narrowed her eyes and enjoyed the view.

"Wait, Anne, this..."

Rhode stopped struggling before he finished his sentence because the fair, alluring body had captured his attention like a bewitching spell. But at this moment, he suddenly felt another warm sensation around his arm. He turned around and saw Lize's reddened face, looking at him meaningfully.

"Mr. Rhode... May I? I'm..."

Although Lize hadn't taken off her clothes, from a certain perspective, she seemed more daring than Anne. She hugged his arm tightly and placed his hand between her legs, continuously rubbing her private area. Suddenly, he felt yet another soft sensation on his back. He immediately recognized the person from her familiar groans.

"Rhode... Me too..."

Marlene's voice was sweet and tempting. Although she wasn't as brave as Anne and Lize, she had proven to him that she couldn't wait any longer.

"W-What are you girls doing!"

Mini Bubble Gum jumped on her feet and widened her eyes in disbelief. At the same time, the main culprit, Lapis, lowered her head in utter embarrassment. Even though Angelina didn't say a word, her gaze became blurry too. Canary twitched her brow slightly, observing the group of girls amusingly. Then, she went up to Rhode and embraced his other available arm.

"Yes... This seems like fun. We're gonna be playing an adult game now. Bubble, do you want to head out first?"

"What kind of joke is this!"

Mini Bubble Gum yelled in embarrassment and swiftly stripped off her clothes. Didn't I come here for this today? Why would I back out at the very last minute?!

"I like Leader too so why must I back out! These unrelated girls should be the ones leaving!"

Unrelated...

The final restraint in Lapis's mind shattered completely. That's right. If I continue this way, I will forever be an unrelated person to Sir Rhode!

And this was the end of her rationale.

Rhode didn't know what led to this. He blanked out for a few minutes and when he returned to his senses, he found himself on the bed with several naked young ladies under and beside him, moaning to his caresses.

"S-Sir Rhode..."

It was Lapis who was right under him. Her face had reddened and she shut her eyes, calling for his name desperately. She clutched onto the sheets but her 'torment' wasn't over yet. Instead, Canary and Anne who were laying by her sides teased her chest playfully. Although it didn't seem like it from her appearance, in fact, Lapis actually had a rather ample chest. Even though hers wasn't as large as Anne's, the shape and softness was just perfect.

"Can I really do it, Lapis?"

Although Rhode had fallen into the vortex of desires, his head was still clear. Even though he dreamed of having this day with the young ladies, it did seem like Lapis was behaving peculiarly. He had more or less realized her feelings for him but guessing and affirming were two totally different matters.

"Yes... Sir Rhode... I don't want to be alone anymore...!"

Lapis shut her eyes and raised her head. This was the first time that she behaved like a spoiled child.

"Besides... Isn't Sir Rhode my guardian who vowed to protect me forever?"

What?! She still remembers it...

Rhode twitched his brow. This happened way back when Lapis was officially recognized by the Behermes and their ancestors' consciousness confirmed that Rhode was her guardian. As this matter happened a long time ago, he had forgotten about it already. After all, he had too much on his plate back then and the new identity wasn't beneficial to him at all. But now...

He looked at her and suddenly realized that she seemed pretty adorable. He couldn't believe that she actually remembered this matter and believed in him innocently. At this thought, he extended his hand and touched her cheek gently. Then, he stooped over and kissed her lips.

"I got it. I will protect you, and everyone forever..."

"Oh..."

Lapis bit her lip and clutched Canary's and Anne's hands. But at the same time, deep in her heart she felt incredibly thrilled and anxious. T-This moment is finally here!

She felt a warm, rock-hard object tearing through her last and most precious defense, puncturing into her body.

"Arghhhhhh~!"

The emptiness in her head was instantly filled with immense pain and joy that engulfed her entirety. She lifted her upper body and stuck as closely as possible to Rhode, feeling the burning heat from his body. She felt as though she had melted in the extreme heat of friction while the soreness from under her waist eradicated the numbness around her body. Her head was in a complete blank. She shook her head desperately, letting out unimaginable moans. At this moment, the other young ladies crowded over, gazing in envy and admiration at her enjoyment. Not only that, but they also instinctively caressed their bodies and indulged in their shameless and licentious acts.

"Wait... Wait... Big Sister..."

On the other side, the naked Bubble had curled up in Canary's arms like a small, exquisite doll. Her twintails were already loosened and her black, flowy hair covered her body.

"I... said... with Leader..."

"I know. But I have to get you ready..."

Canary gently stroked across Bubble's body with her fair, slender fingers, leaving the latter shivering sensitively.

"Bubble, your reaction sure is adorable. I've always wanted to try this and it seems like your reaction is as cute as I thought it would be. Yes... and this place..."

"No, Big Sister, no... I can't... hold back anymore!!"

Suddenly, Bubble spurted a clear stream of fluid from between her legs before twitching and laying back onto the bed. Her listless eyes gazed at the ceiling as Canary chuckled and caressed her cheek.

"Hmm... You're so sensitive down there... Huhu... It's about time now."

As though responding to Canary, Lapis's moans became louder and were as though frantic screams. She twisted and turned as though she was struggling to escape and yet, she seemed to enjoy the strong entries into her body. Rhode thrust his hip forward and she shivered, signaling the peak of her comfort.

"No... No... S-Stop!!!"

Lapis embraced the man tightly, wrapping her legs around his waist as though becoming one with him. After a few moments, the powerless young lady fell back on the bed and released the grip in her hands. Although she didn't say anything, her feelings were apparent from her half-shut, blurry eyes, reddened expression, and smile of satisfaction.

"Phew..."

Rhode kissed her cheek before shaking his head and pulling out from her. But suddenly, he felt another person below him. He looked down and saw Bubble with her messy hair, holding onto his 'holy sword'. She looked at him shyly with eyes glinting in excitement.

"It's my turn next... I won't allow you to get cold feet, Leader!"

To Rhode, the night had just begun.

And it probably wouldn't end soon.

Chapter 943: We Still Don't Know What Happened That Night (3)

"... Rhode... is busy...?"

Christie tilted her head, gazing at Agatha. The latter nodded slightly, placing her 'hands' before her and bowed deeply.

"Yes, Madam Christie, Sir Rhode has something on tonight. If it is possible, please don't disturb him."

"Oh..."

Christie knitted her brows in slight dissatisfaction. She had thought of listening to him talking about interesting stories and spending the night with him as she enjoyed that a lot. Although it didn't seem like it, Rhode's physique was in fact really strong. Even though he wasn't a bodybuilder with packed muscles, he set off a mysterious and reliable vibe to her. Whenever Christie lay in his embrace, she would feel safe and secure as though her flesh and soul had found a peaceful haven. Rhode didn't know that she treated those times as her 'reward'. Whenever she saw results in her hard work, she would want to spend time hearing some amusing stories before falling asleep in his safe embrace.

She had initially thought of doing so but... it seemed like her wish couldn't be fulfilled. She let out a short sigh before clearing her thoughts and smiling at Bell, who displayed a dubious expression.

"Alright then, let's head back."

"Please be careful on your way back. Have a good night."

Agatha lifted her head after Christie and Bell disappeared at the end of the corridor. She turned around, gazed at the tightly shut door at the other end of the corridor, and continued with her chores. It was also part of her duties to shelter her master from wind and rain.

At this moment, the 'battle' was still on-going behind the closed door.

"Ah... This is too thrilling, Leader...!"

The petite young lady had her back facing Rhode as he thrust his hips forward. The bed squeaked constantly while the room was overflowing in an incomparably fervent and lustful atmosphere. He grabbed her chest while pinching her sensitive points. This was their second battle of the night. After the painful sore from the first battle subsided, Bubble was immediately indulged in the thrill.

Below both of them was the naked Angelina, who only had her white, sling stocking on, licking the area of connection between Rhode and Bubble. Upon sensing this thrill, it turned Bubble on even more.

"Yes... Yes... Leader... I'm coming! A-Again...!"

Bubble squealed in comfort and her head was spinning. She spread her legs apart, lifted her slender waist, and waited for the arrival of the peak sensation. Upon realizing her response, Rhode immediately launched his hip forward as hard as he could and released an explosion of warm desire.

"Bubble... Argh...!"

The powerful eruption of warm liquid blasted inside her and splashed onto the sheets. Both of them separated and Bubble was as though a powerless robot laying on the bed with Angelina in her arms. Her eyes were half-shut as she bathed in the pleasure. Rhode took in deep breaths and sat on the bed. Almost everyone, including Bubble, had at least one vicious battle with him and they all had different reactions. Lapis was currently in a half-conscious state and was shivering. However, it wasn't from the thrilling pleasure from before. Instead, it was because Anne was nibbling and licking her pointy ear.

"Mmm... It's so fun, Lapis. Was it comfortable?"

Anne roamed her hands around Lapis and the sensitive latter groaned loudly as though begging for forgiveness. However, she couldn't resist in her half-conscious state at all.

Judging from another perspective, it was actually reasonable that Lize and Marlene weren't willing to mix around with Anne in bed because their strength as spell casters could never match Anne's as a Shield Warrior. However, they weren't coping well on their own either. Lize was covered in white, viscous liquid as she moaned softly on the bed. On the other hand, Canary had just started a second battle with Marlene.

"Woah... This is Rhode's scent... What a strong smell... Little Marlene, you've taken in a lot, huh..."

"D-Don't lick there...! It's filthy! No...!"

Canary positioned herself between Marlene's legs and gently licked off the aftermath of her battle with Rhode. Marlene had completely lost her usual calmness, and now, she was as though a child who couldn't escape Canary's grasp. Marlene's begging for forgiveness slowly turned into inconsistent moans, signifying the end of her struggles.

"Master, it's still not over yet, okay?"

At this moment, Gillian approached Rhode with a cheeky smile.

"Let me catch my breath first."

Rhode let out a bitter laugh. His mental strength had been enhanced with his dragon soul attributes, but the problem was that these young ladies weren't only blow-up dolls who he could toss aside after having his fun. In order to ensure that his precious harem lived in joy and harmony, he had to satisfy everyone to the best of his ability.

But since this was the case, it was also a huge challenge for him. It was as though he had to play a variety of games while ensuring that he cleared them with an SSS grade. Even though he would be delighted in the results, he still had to take a break on a mental level.

"Oh... Is that so?"

Gillian narrowed her eyes slyly and revealed an alluring smile. Unlike the other young ladies, she didn't remove her clothes. Instead, she wore a wide, robe-like costume that revealed her fair shoulders and proud, ample chest. Not only that, but her slender legs were also teasing from underneath the robe. She walked up to him and extended her leg wrapped in a white, silky sock to tease his manhood.

"... Everyone has their own style of play, isn't it? Master, I suppose you don't hate this... Yes, it seems like I've gotten my answer."

Gillian smirked at the sight of the solidifying object and licked her lips. At this moment, this fascinating young lady seemed even more enticing than usual. She pushed and held him down on the bed like a hungry tigress.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time, Master. Really, I should have been your first experience, but it seems like I'm the first from the end... Forget it. Since that's the case, I shall emerge as the BOSS and deal the final blow to you."

She stroked her fingers across his chest, at the same time rubbing her hips against his mighty 'holy sword'. She stooped over and stuck her large, ample chest closely to his before holding his cheek and gazing at him silently. Rhode wasn't sure if this was an illusion because this was the first time that he actually witnessed an unprecedented tenderness in her eyes.

"Finally... This moment has arrived."

Chapter 944: We Still Don't Know What Happened That Night (4)

"Finally... This moment has arrived."

Gillian lowered her head and pressed her lips against Rhode's. Shortly after, her delicate tongue pried open his mouth and slithered deeply. They hugged tightly, sensing each other's presence.

"Mmm... Mmm..."

The young lady exuded a mesmerizing scent like a mix between a breath of softness and natural floral fragrance. But Rhode instantly realized that the image in his head became clearer—the prairie, forest, and dazzling sunlight spilling through the leaves and onto the soil, forming a soft, mottled carpet in the shade—apart from him, there was also another person...

Rhode opened his eyes wide and saw a young lady above him, smiling. In an instant, some shattered, indistinct clues slowly merged to form a complete picture.

"Gillian, you..."

"Stop."

Gillian extended her finger and held it on his lips.

"Now isn't the time for meaningless stuff. Besides... it's bad to spoil the atmosphere, Master. This is a crucial time, so don't think about those unromantic things. Some things... You will know it when the time is right. All we should do now is enjoy the moment, and as for other matters, let's leave them for afterwards."

Gillian grabbed his 'holy sword', lifted herself up, and smiled at the man.

"Alright, I shall start now, Master."

Gillian pushed herself down and Rhode instantly broke her final defense, penetrating deep inside her. He quickly found himself enveloped in a warm sensation.

"Argh...!"

Gillian couldn't tolerate the sudden and intense pain. Her alluring smile instantly turned stiff and even slightly twisted. But even so, she didn't stop. She slowly moved her hips in a circular motion while Rhode stopped thinking about the indistinct image that appeared in his head and indulged in the moment. Gillian's clothes gradually fell off, revealing her fair, smooth body before him entirely. Rhode seized the opportunity and launched another wave of attack.

"As expected... Master... you're... the best... Woah... Ah... Haa... Mmm..."

Gillian held her hands on his chest and started moaning loudly. Rhode picked up his pace and shortly after, the entire room was filled with the loud, smacking sounds of clashing bodies. Along with her alluring response, he realized that he was quickly at his limit. He firmly clasped his hands around her slim waist like two iron tongs and erupted like a powerful volcano.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Gillian screamed in pleasure before laying on him weakly while Rhode wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and let out a satisfied moan after pouring his burning desires into her. He looked up and saw the young lady with her eyes half-opened. She was unlike the cunning fox from before. At this moment, she was just like an ordinary young lady. He didn't expect to see this side of her.

Rhode smiled, caressing her hair and fluffy ears. Upon sensing his touches, she narrowed her eyes and lifted her head.

"Really. I knew that you wouldn't be satisfied so easily, Master. But that's fine..."

Gillian swept a glance to the side. Rhode followed her gaze and discovered that the other young ladies had surrounded him once again, looking at him with selfish desires.

"It seems like the night is still young."

Gillian chuckled.

The party continued. Everyone was still lustful and greedy for more happiness and pleasure. Of course, Rhode wouldn't let the night end just yet.

"Y-Your Majesty... No, I can't... It's so huge... So hot. I can't... I can't...!"

"Mm... Mm..."

"How cunning... Sir Rhode... It's my turn next...!"

"Harder, Mr. Rhode. Yes, right there... Ah... Ahh....!"

Angelina enjoyed the thrusts from behind as her beautiful golden hair scattered all around. Pain was never an enemy to the vampires. This unique advantage gave her an edge over others to feel pleasure. Rhode continued to thrust his hips forward while turning around and giving French kisses to Anne. His hands were busy too. He massaged Lapis's chest while rubbing between Lize's legs. Canary pushed her chest on his back and Marlene watched in admiration while touching herself to satisfy her fantasy. Gillian stood beside Marlene and teased her with her hands.

To all of them, this was a crazy and endless night.

However, the night would eventually come to an end.

It was noon when Rhode opened his eyes. After a night of insanity, even he reached his limit. After all, Gillian, Lize, Anne, and Angelina weren't humans. If they were, they would have fallen asleep after one round. But Gillian and Anne were half-beasts, Marlene was a Deity Warden, Lize was a half-angel, and Angelina was a royal vampire. Their tolerance was incomparable, not to mention Canary and Mini Bubble Gum. The licentious party of the night only ended at the break of dawn.

When Rhode woke up, he couldn't help but feel surprised.

Angelina and Bubble laid beside him while his left and right arms were wrapped in Canary's and Marlene's embraces. Lize curled up around his legs while Anne laid above him, snoring away and sandwiching the pitiful Lapis. On the other hand, Gillian seemed to know her place as she slept on one side alone, swaying her fluffy tail from time to time as though she wasn't sleeping well.

What a fantastic view.

Rhode swallowed his saliva and suppressed the burning desires inside him. He could occasionally do this but definitely not everyday as his body couldn't take it. Moreover, he couldn't find the time to do it. If he were to grope anyone now, he could forget about leaving the bed before evening.

But...

Rhode shifted his gaze to Mini Bubble Gum and Lapis, who had the same blissful expressions. Rhode stroked Mini Bubble Gum's hair gently. He totally didn't expect that he would do it with her. Although he had more or less suspected Lapis's feelings for him and knew of Gillian's desire for a long time, as for Bubble... He was surprised that she was even interested in this. But come to think of it, Bubble didn't live in this world like Christie, so it wasn't strange that she was knowledgeable in this topic with the fact that she chatted with him naked over the webcam when they hadn't even met in real life. Fortunately for Rhode, this wasn't the real world. If not, he would be spending the prime of his life in jail.

Rhode carefully sneaked his way out of bed and placed a blanket over the young ladies. After ensuring that everything was fine, he tidied his clothes and left the room. He was clear that what happened last night wasn't a normal occurrence. He also expected the awkward atmosphere that would arise as soon as they woke up, so he quickly made his way out. Besides, considering the possibility that Anne would want to get into another battle with him as soon as she saw him, he was better off making his escape now.

In fact, he quickly realized that this was a wise decision.

"Christie was looking for me last night?"

Rhode widened his eyes in surprise at Agatha. The latter hunched over for a bow.

"Yes, Master. I told her that you were busy, so I refused her request to meet you. Did I do anything wrong?"

"You did great."

Rhode heaved an inward sigh of relief. He considered Mini Bubble Gum as being contaminated by the Internet, but Christie was completely an innocent child. He couldn't imagine how it would be if she saw what happened or joined them. No matter what, he had no intention of treating Christie like Marlene and the others. Even though he often slept with Christie, that was purely sleeping without any 'exercises'.

"Is there anything else?"

Rhode asked curiously as Agatha didn't leave immediately. The latter nodded slightly.

"Yes, Master. We received a report that two emissaries from the Country of Law have arrived at Grandia and requested to meet you."

"Emissaries from the Country of Law?"

Rhode puckered his brows.

"Got it," he said.

Chapter 945: Invitation From the Sacred Palace

When Rhode arrived at the hall, he saw the two emissaries scanning the room curiously. Compared to other places, Rhode's palace wasn't as grand and luxurious and could even be considered relatively plain without the mighty throne. As a player, he wasn't too mindful about having a mighty reputation. He thought that as long as others respected him, he didn't need to go to that far of an extent.

It was due to this that instead of saying that Grandia's palace was a hall of deliberation, it was more like a beautiful garden. The semi-circular stairwell resembled that of a school platform. The white, circular conference hall was surrounded by lush greenery and clear, flowing spring water that was extraordinarily pleasing to the eyes and added elegance and solemnity to the place. Moreover, the drifting clouds and ocean could be seen through the glass panel in the middle of the ground. From a certain perspective, this deepened the concept that Grandia was a floating city in the sky worth revering. However, this wasn't due to the pressure from the surroundings. Instead, anyone who personally witnessed something that they couldn't achieve themselves would respect it from the bottom of their hearts.

Upon seeing Rhode's arrival, the two emissaries immediately half-knelt.

"It's our pleasure meeting you. Thank you for allowing us into your city, mighty dragon soul heir, Your Majesty the Void Dragon."

"You're welcome."

Rhode felt unused to this official greeting, but he simply waved his hand, signaling for them to rise. He scanned the two female emissaries from head to toe and realized that they looked similar to the elf guards. They wore a full set of glass armor and their faces were covered by the hood, revealing only their pointy ears. But even so, he recognized their true identity by the circular golden badge on their white armor.

"Sacred Guards of the Country of Law?"

Rhode asked, at the same time feeling dubious because everyone knew that the Country of Law was a nation of politics and religion. But every player knew that the Country of Law wasn't equal to the churches. Although churches were distributed all around the Country of Law, which made it seem like a religious country, only 'derivatives' of the twin dragons attended them. It was as though a wealthy man investing in financial management software, but that software didn't represent the wealth that the rich person possessed. On the other hand, the churches were like the 'financial management software'. It promoted popular beliefs and never encouraged people to worship a specific figure. If the Country of Law and the churches were truly as one, they didn't need to do so. As long as they pushed the twin dragons up the altar, wouldn't the worshipers get whatever they want?

But the churches didn't do so. They promoted beliefs and never encouraged people to worship a specific figure, and at the same time was responsible for financial turnover, circulation, and contract examinations. Perhaps the natives couldn't see it, but players had criticized that if they removed the fact that the churches promoted beliefs, they would be no different from an international financial management organization.

As an experienced player, Rhode more or less had some knowledge about the political system in the Dragon Soul Continent. He initially thought that the emissaries would be one of the churches' higher-ups or representatives from the Elf Forest, who were basically diplomatic emissaries. This was because no matter the Elves or churches, they all belonged to the twin dragons. But it wasn't so for the Sacred Guards. From a certain perspective, they represented the twin dragons and were not the collection of political organizations like the churches or the Country of Law. This also meant that this was an official invitation from the twin dragons.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We're the members of the Country of Law's Sacred Guards."

One of the elves stepped forth and bowed respectfully. Then, she reached for a gorgeous envelope from the fold of her clothes and presented it to Rhode.

"We're here, abiding by the orders of our two Majesties, to invite you to the Order Ceremony held in the Sacred Palace on the 3rd of the month of radiance."

"Order Ceremony?"

Rhode accepted the enveloped and asked. He was sure that he had never heard of a similar ceremony.

"Yes, not only you, but His Majesty the Dark Dragon Ion and Her Majesty the Light Dragon Lilian will also be there."

Ion and Lilian will be there too?

Even though Rhode remained expressionless, his head was quickly doing the math. If this was just a conference on political trends of the continent, Lilian wouldn't need to participate at all because the others clearly know that she has no official power in the Country of Light. So it will be meaningless even if they invite her... Not only that, but the Dark Dragon will also be there? Since I'm also invited...

Rhode came to a conclusion. Without the need to understand the purpose of this ceremony, it was apparent from the attendees.

They were all the heirs of the creator dragon souls.

Since that was the case, it wasn't a mystery why players weren't aware of it. Only the creator dragon souls could participate in this ceremony, and players had no power to get involved. Even though Rhode didn't know the intention behind this invitation, this was an opportunity for the dragon soul heirs to communicate and interact. Besides, this might also be the perfect chance for him to display his powers to the other dragon soul heirs.

Rhode opened the envelope and almost simultaneously, the system prompt popped up in front of him.

[Triggered Mission: Order Ceremony]

[The kings of the creator dragon souls shall once again gather. All your actions shall determine if you'll gain their recognition and be on equal footing with the ancient guardians. After you're recognized, your reputation as the dragon soul heir shall exist and shine.]

[Special Condition: From the start until the end of this mission, Phantom Guardians will not be bound by territory limitations.]

Just as I expected.

Rhode twitched his brows. This was obviously a meeting for the dragon soul heirs to display their strengths. He could only truly be termed as the Void Dragon after being recognized by the other four dragon soul heirs. The fact that the system automatically unlocked the territory limitations for the Phantom Guardians meant that the three Archangels and four legendary generals would also be there. On the other hand, the elemental lord, Deity Wardens, Mini Bubble Gum and Canary would also participate too. In terms of strength, Gillian would have no difficulties facing the three Archangels or one of the four legendary generals on her own, while Marlene could also take on one of the legendary generals or an Archangel. Even though Mini Bubble Gum and Canary had weaker equipment and weapons, they were advantageous with their rich battle experiences, so they shouldn't have a hard time taking down one of them together. As for Christie and Alice... Rhode had no intention of risking Christie's life despite the other Christie being so powerful. After all, it was Christie's body and with her current health, she would only be prone to more danger. So it would be safer to leave her in Grandia and be kept as a trump card. As for Alice, Rhode didn't see her yet. It looked like it was about time to start searching for her in every corner of the library.

"The ceremony will be taking place in five days' time. We will lead you and your subjects to the Sacred Palace, Your Majesty. If you have any questions, please let us know. We will do our best to answer your doubts."

"Everything is fine, thanks for asking."

Rhode put away the envelope and scanned the surroundings.

"Alright then, during this period of time, please have a good rest in Grandia."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The two elf emissaries bowed humbly before leaving the hall. Rhode puckered his brows and pondered deeply. Participating in the ceremony would be the biggest test for him, especially when he had to meet the Dark Dragon face-to-face. He knew that the Dark Dragon Ion was a tough nut to crack and if he were to expose his weakness to the Dark Dragon, perhaps the undead army would attack his territory in the near future. Not only that, but he also had to meet Lilian and Lydia. How should he go about speaking to Lydia about his newfound identity?

Rhode shook his head. Compared to these problems, he should be considering who would be joining him for the ceremony. Alice was too unpredictable and according to the other Christie, she was only a spirit. He didn't know how much strength she had. Before he headed off for the ceremony, it seemed like he had to have a discussion with her.

No matter what, didn't the other Christie say that Alice would appear when the time was right?

And now should be the most opportune timing.

Chapter 946: History Recorder

Finding Alice was a simple yet difficult task for Rhode, one he had never succeeded in before.

It was simple because she could only be found in one place. The moment the tinder was lit and the land of Chaos was opened up, Alice was preserved in the old, run-down library that was located in the forest behind the Grandia palace. Although the library didn't prohibit anyone from entering, it was basically of no interest to anyone. Rhode suspected that it might be due to its creepy appearance or because the people were simply on a lower educational level. He also asked the three humanoids about the library and realized that natives of the Tinder Origin knew very little about it. Besides, no one was willing to enter the library and there was a simple reason for that. The library was rumored to be haunted for a long time...

And Rhode knew exactly who that rumored 'ghost' was.

As for the difficult part... There was only one reason. He simply couldn't find her anywhere.

Even though the library was huge, it didn't take him a lot of time to search the entire place carefully. The problem was that no matter how he searched, he just couldn't find her and this surprised him greatly. He didn't understand this young lady too well and the only time he interacted with her was when they met in the library before he went to awaken the tinder. Judging from that meeting, Alice seemed like any other ordinary young lady and didn't have an especially powerful aura around her. On the contrary, her pair of calm, dazzling eyes that had as though crossed a millennium left a deeper impression on him.

But it was a pity that he just couldn't find her despite several previous attempts. Even though the other Christie said that Alice would appear at the right time, he didn't know when exactly 'the right time' would come. As a result, he would take a stroll in the library whenever he was bored and flip through some books from the shelves despite them being mainly from ancient times with content that he couldn't understand. But there were some books that he found interesting. After all, apart from the books on magic and human history, there were also several biographies of famous historical figures. This instantly sparked an interest in him. Since he couldn't read the novels in this world, he might as well browse those books about legends and treat them as novels.

Rhode held a bag of desserts and pushed the library door open. This was just another routine visit for him. If he couldn't find Alice today, he would read some books to spend time and savor the desserts. But today, things turned out rather unexpectedly.

There were two cups of warm tea on the black table that should have been empty as per usual. On the other side of the table, a young lady clad in a plain black dress was sitting quietly and gazing at the door which he entered from. It seemed like she was ready to serve her guest.

"I didn't expect to see you today."

Rhode shrugged and went up to the table, sliding the bag of desserts across the table. Even though he had come to this world for quite awhile, he wasn't interested in its cumbersome etiquette. Logically speaking, he was the dragon soul heir and should be particular about formalities. But he didn't mind even if Alice continued to remain seated instead of standing or kneeling down to greet him. As expected though, Alice quietly stood up and accepted the plate of desserts humbly with both hands before sitting down again.

"I came here for..."

"I know why you're looking for me, Your Majesty. This is why I'm here."

"You're aware?"

Rhode widened his eyes slightly in surprise. Only two hours had passed since he met the two emissaries. As for Alice, even though Rhode often couldn't find her, he subconsciously believed that she was in the library the whole time. Besides, basically no one visited this place, so she shouldn't be able to receive any intelligence.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I'm aware."

Alice reached for a piece of cake in the bag and placed it on an empty plate before putting it in the middle of the table.

"The emissaries from the Country of Law invited you to the Sacred Palace to partake in the upcoming ceremony. The other four dragon soul heirs and their followers will also be there. In order to show them the powers of Void Territory, it goes without saying that we, as your direct subjects, should join you, isn't it?"

"You're exactly right. Don't tell me you have some mind-reading skills..."

Rhode nodded, gazing at the young lady curiously. He had always been curious about her. He had personally witnessed the other Christie's powers and even though he didn't see what kind of powers Marlene possessed after her awakening, he had read the details written on her card. As for Alice, he couldn't figure out what abilities she had. Based on his first impression on her, this young lady who always hid in the library seemed more suitable for the title of 'Wisdom Deity Warden' instead of Marlene. On the contrary, she was termed the 'History Deity Warden' and what made Rhode curious was the exact difference between history and wisdom.

"I'm the History Deity Warden, Your Majesty."

Despite reacting calmly to Rhode's joke, she was neither as expressionless as him nor as calm and steady as Marlene. Instead, she seemed to be incessantly going on a mental journey, submerging herself in books.

"I will subconsciously record anything as long as it happens. As soon as I see, touch, or understand it, everything in the past that I subconsciously recorded will be presented before my eyes..." Alice lifted a slice of cake with the fork. "Just like this slice of cake; I'm perfectly aware of its history. Your Majesty, you went to the dessert house and asked the shop owner for a tasty dessert. The shop owner was thrilled upon seeing your arrival. He gave you all the freshly-baked desserts and insisted on not accepting your payment. Later, you exited the dessert house and came to my library..."

"Totally right. I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be a Holmes if you became a detective."

Rhode couldn't help but clap his hands in amazement. Just as he had expected, Alice was also a talented Deity Warden, one who could understand someone's past as long as she saw them. Not only that, but she could also record all the history of this world. Judging from this point, her abilities were matchless. But even so...

"Are you able to see my past too?"

Rhode placed the cup of tea down and looked curiously at the young lady. The latter nodded slightly, her beautiful black eyes slowly moving as though she was reading a line of text.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I can see your past. It is very complicated and inconvenient to comment on, including your history in the other world... I have to admit that perhaps you truly have the right to become the heir of the Void Dragon. Of course, this is only my personal opinion."

"..."

Rhode narrowed his eyes but quickly returned to his usual self. Of course, he had never told anyone about the fact that he came from another world because he wouldn't know if they would accept this truth. How would Marlene and the others react if they knew that they were simply living in a game from another world? But now, he had no reason to hide this secret from Alice since she knew the truth.

"Alright. What views do you have on that world?"

"Nothing much, since it is just a game."

"Oh?"

Rhode gazed at her.

"Are you sure? Although that is indeed a game, aren't the history, characters, and storyline the same as this world? Don't you have any opinion about that?"

"Even though that is history, I can never be too sure. There is no such thing as a constant past and future. Your Majesty, there are no two identical leaves in this world and the same goes for history. No matter how similar they are, they ultimately are different. The place where we are and the history that we experienced are essentially different."

Alice put down the teacup while Rhode knitted his brows and carefully thought about the meaning behind her words. After a few moments, he nodded in agreement. Due to his existence in this world, the current 'storyline' of the Dragon Soul Continent was entirely different from the game's. Except for the usefulness of intelligence he received about game characters or organizations, he was totally clueless about which direction the continent was heading towards. He could only rely on the experiences in the game to support his thoughts and theories. He had to admit that this gave him tremendous pressure, especially in the second upcoming war against the Country of Darkness—all the famous battles in the past would never happen again. Even though this was the case, he wasn't willing to back down. After all, he became the top player of the game without prior knowledge of everything. However, it was still unsettling for him, knowing that the things he was familiar with were all changing.

But now, the unsettling feeling in him finally vanished after speaking to Alice.

"Thank you for your answer, Alice, I feel much more relaxed now."

"You're welcome. It's nothing much though, Your Majesty."

Alice lifted the teacup, swirled the tea, and looked at it as though she was 'reading' something. At this moment, Rhode recalled something.

"By the way, where have you been hiding all this time? Why can't I find you at all?"

"..."

Alice lifted her head and looked at him.

"I'm the History Deity Warden, Your Majesty."

"And?"

"Not only can I read histories, but I can also enter them. In other words, the past to you is in fact my present."

"..."

Rhode was speechless. He understood what she meant but this ability was too outrageous. Indeed, ordinary people could be in the present or predict the future but they were ultimately living in the 'present'. On the contrary, Alice could go beyond the limits and enter the 'past' which meant that it was impossible for Rhode to find her because he couldn't possibly see or reach the 'past'.

"If Christie, Marlene, and you unleash your full powers against the four legendary generals or the three Archangels, they shouldn't stand a chance against the three of you, right? I've always found it strange that the three of you are nearly invincible with your powers and yet you were all defeated by Chaos. This is totally unimaginable."

Rhode was right. It was just how he imagined.

Even though players often compared the three Archangels, four legendary generals, five elemental lords, and six Deity Wardens on equal terms, after he came to this world and personally experienced the true powers of the Deity Wardens, he discovered that Christie, Marlene, and Alice far exceeded the other formidable figures. With their powers, it wasn't impossible to instantly kill the other top-ranked figures. Take Alice, for instance. Her ability to 'hide in the past' would be devastating for players because how could they defeat her if they couldn't find her? The only possibility of winning her was to stop time and tear through the limits of past, present, and future. However, it was impossible for players to maintain a high-level skill like the time-stopping ability and continuously attack a BOSS of the Deity Warden caliber. He honestly believed that it would be a huge challenge even if he formed a party of elite players against the six Deity Wardens. Could it be that the reason why the six Deity Wardens didn't appear in the game was for the sake of game balance...?

"Chaos is Order's enemy. We're ultimately the people of Order."

Alice took a sip of the tea before standing on her feet.

"As your subject, I'm willing to join you at the ceremony. But before that, I have something that requires... your help, Your Majesty."

Alice paused.

"Please find my body."

Chapter 947: Walking in the Interval of History

"Your body?"

Rhode twitched his brow and asked curiously. Alice nodded slightly and explained.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Back then when Chaos wreaked havoc, I moved the library to the Tinder Origin and barely survived the corrosion. But I wasn't sure if the tinder would be able to defend against Chaos's attack, so in order to ensure that my powers wouldn't be devoured, I separated my spirit from my body and stored my body in the interval of history. Right now, this spirit of me that you're seeing only contains a small part of my complete power. This was the only way I still had a chance of survival even if the Tinder Origin crumpled to Chaos..."

Alice paused.

"... But due to uncertain factors, I consumed too much power which weakened the link between my spirit and body. Even if I want to return to my body now, it won't be that quick. Besides, Your Majesty, history is a process of accumulation and my body has already been buried deep down in accumulated history. I can't search for my body within a short period of time by myself."

"What can I do for you?"

Rhode asked. He understood what she meant. For example, Alice's body was as though an important password which she had written on a newspaper and hid it inside a pile of newspapers to prevent anyone from discovering. But as time went by, more piles of newspapers filled up the entire room and she couldn't find that particular newspaper. However... Rhode didn't think that he could be of help.

"You're the Void Dragon, Your Majesty, and we can sense that as your subjects. For that, I want to borrow your strength and re-enter the interval of history in search of my body. I don't have any battle strength in me, so I will need to seek your powers."

"Sure."

Rhode nodded firmly. He wasn't dubious of her words. Since this was necessary, there was no reason for him to hesitate anymore. This request from Alice, who was one of the six Deity Wardens, seemed no different to a mission. As a player, how could he ignore this mission? Yes, he might face trouble in the process, but he was always pragmatic.

"Alright, what do I need to do?"

Alice was surprised that Rhode agreed so quickly. She widened her eyes and blinked in disbelief. Shortly after, she returned to her usual self.

"It's simple, Your Majesty."

Alice extended her hand.

"I will find the approximate period of history while you will have to sense my spiritual undulation and search for my body. Then, my spirit and body will fuse and awaken. Thereafter, I will restore all my strength."

Rhode nodded and held her hand.

"Also, Your Majesty, history is made up of situations that existed and happened. We may peep and hide ourselves within but we can never change it. No matter how tragic it is, it is all decided and shaped by countless pasts that make up the present..."

In the next moment, everything before Rhode's eyes turned in complete confusion. The library around him disappeared in the blink of an eye and was replaced by boundless darkness and layer upon layer of floating screens that resembled images that had their brightness overdone. Not only that, but he could also vaguely see a moving human figure on the screens. At this moment, countless screens flit by him like meteors as though the scenery behind the window of a high-speed rail. Shortly after, the surrounding light spots linked up and formed a dazzling white radiance. Then, the scenery suddenly transformed.

The air reeked of blood.

Rhode stood above the steel city wall, and before him was a vast, charred land with groups of panicky, fleeing humans. The sky in the distance appeared turbid and twisted, and at the same time, a series of loud explosions boomed.

Rhode looked up and witnessed an array of beams blasting from the city walls behind him. The colorful light beams streaked across the sky and aimed at the distorted and disturbing sky. Shortly after, they struck and exploded a massive and dazzling white radiance that permeated throughout the sky, as though colors splashing on this gray world. In an instant, Rhode was blinded as everything turned into complete whiteness despite it just being an illusion. The blinding whiteness vanished after a few seconds and the twisted sky seemed to have taken a huge hit as it slowly retreated. At the same time, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hurry! We can't delay the evacuation of the people anymore!"

"Celia?"

Rhode looked at the sky curiously and indeed, it was her. She clutched her glistening sword, stared ahead vigilantly, and commanded the soldiers to evacuate the people. In the near distance, he also witnessed groups of people bolting toward the city behind him while the pitch-black and turbid mud-like presence slowly and steadily approached them. In the sky was a presence like a tattered plastic film that was twisting disturbingly.

This was the battle between Chaos and the Void Territory?

Rhode widened his eyes in bewilderment. In fact, he had a lot of doubts about this particular battle, such as how powerful Chaos was. According to his experience in the game, not even the Chaos in the hundreds of underground floors posed a threat to his guild, not to mention the Deity Wardens. But even so, the Deity Wardens were either dead or gravely injured in this battle, which made him realize that his expectations of Chaos were wrong. Now he finally had the chance to personally witness their strength.

But it was a pity that it was too late.

Rhode shook his head at the sight of the escapees. Even though Chaos appeared to be approaching them slowly, it was in fact tens of meters high and had almost enveloped half the sky. Under such a circumstance, the escapees were only putting up a meaningless struggle.

"There's no more time. Withdraw the suspension bridge!"

Celia seemed to understand it too. She hurriedly brandished her sword and ordered. Almost simultaneously, white steam spurted from the steel suspension bridge as it slowly rose from the surface. The escapees became increasingly frightened. They sobbed and dashed toward the bridge. Mothers carried their children while elders dragged their grandchildren, struggling to get up on the bridge before it was too late. But even so, the bridge continued to rise and at the same time, the city that was already suspended above the ground rose higher. The escapees who failed to enter the city on time held on tightly to the bridge with their dear lives. But even so, some lost their grip and fell to their deaths from the sky while the ones who couldn't make it in time watched in despair as Chaos crashed into them like a tsunami from behind.

"13th zone crumpled completely. Activate second sets of plans!"

Celia commanded swiftly without taking a final look at the thousands of innocent people who died to Chaos. She knew that she had no time to waste. The steel city walls trembled as a three-floor-tall iron magic cannon appeared, aiming at Chaos below.

"Fire!"

Once again, ear-deafening explosions and blinding radiance tore through the entire world before Rhode's eyes.

That's Chaos?

Everything that happened seconds ago vanished completely and Rhode returned to the empty darkness. However, he hadn't returned to his senses yet. Instead, he puckered his brows, comparing the Chaos that he witnessed with the Chaos he knew. This Chaos was no different from the Chaos that he saw in the game. But for some unknown reason, the moment he saw the mass of darkness, he felt really uncomfortable. As soon as he saw it, he felt as though his body had been corrupted by it. This was a sensation he didn't feel in the game. In the game, the presence of Chaos didn't make him feel sick or stimulate his senses through their disturbing visuals. But now, he felt an impulse from deep inside his heart, urging him to retaliate.

Besides, even though both Chaos were disastrous, he felt as though the Chaos's attack in the game was on the devastation level of a tsunami, where there was still a possibility of surviving against it. If players were to run up the mountains fast enough, they might be able to survive. On the other hand, the Chaos that he just witnessed was as though a black hole devouring and destroying the entire planet. It was the scariest disaster, one where no matter how hard a person tried to escape, they just couldn't avoid death.

As he pondered this, the view before him changed once again.

Chapter 948: Historical Overlap

The view before him changed once again.

The battlefield was gone, only to be replaced by an enormous and dim hall. Rhode vaguely saw odd, complicated patterns on the floor that resembled magical rituals. Standing before him were six indistinct, pitch-black figures.

"It is beyond our expectations. The power of Chaos is getting stronger."

This voice is...

Rhode turned to the voice and as though responding to his thoughts, a particular figure was lit up by a lamp above, instantly revealing her petite stature. He couldn't be more familiar with her—the long, pitch-black hair, mesmerizing purple pupils, and almost identical face.

Christie.

But unlike the innocent little girl who always followed him around, this Christie seemed to possess the mighty presence of a high-ranking person. She narrowed her deep purple eyes, her face displaying a firm, unwavering determination that made him feel like she had everything under control. At this moment, the pressure on Christie's shoulders was bigger than Lydia's as though in her eyes, there was nothing except for this world.

"It's okay, the more the plan fails, the more we have proven our success. The more detailed the plan is, the easier it is for mistakes to surface. It is within our calculations that this problem will occur when Chaos attacks."

It was yet another voice he couldn't be more familiar with. Shortly after, the bright light illuminated the other person. Her silver hair, wine-colored eyes, slender figure, and incomparably luxurious robe proved her identity.

Marlene...

This feels so strange.

Of course, Rhode knew that this wasn't a coincidence. Christie called her other self as 'my other self', so it was to be expected that the other Christie would look exactly like Christie. On the other hand, Marlene was the incarnation of one of the six Deity Wardens, so it would be ridiculous if she didn't look similar at all. But even though this Marlene looked like the same person, the qualities that she exuded were entirely different. This Marlene completely lacked the gentleness and steadiness of the usual Marlene. On the contrary, she was cold and rational as though everything was within her predictions—like a computer. It felt as though that even if her closest kin died in front of her, she would only respond with 'everything is within predictions'.

Although this side of Marlene and Christie was refreshing, he still preferred their current selves...

"But this distortion isn't enough. We should let it distort even farther. All that we're doing now is carefully, yet recklessly messing the situation up."

He was no stranger to this voice either. After all, he had just spoken to her a few moments ago.

The light shone.

The young lady clad in a plain, ancient-styled black dress and with silky, long black hair stood silently on the spot. She spread her arms apart and an ancient book hovered between them.

Alice.

"The constant, repeated, and accumulated distortion from the past isn't enough. Such an extent of Chaos still isn't able to disrupt the set destiny. We have to take more aggressive measures in order to form a singular point to distort the fate of this world. But now, what we're doing isn't enough to instigate the fulcrum of fate!"

"Perhaps we should kill off the Archangels?"

Shortly after, an unfamiliar and childish voice spoke. Compared to the three of them, she sounded much more energetic. For some unknown reasons, Rhode felt as though this person resembled Mini Bubble Gum, but he also knew that no one could compare to the insanity of that young lady. On the contrary, this voice sounded rational yet oddly excited. For instance, it was as though she was calmly planning a scheme to kill another person a hundred times and make that person go entirely bonkers—cold, dangerous, and incomparably odd.

"Maybe we should give up the defense of the seventh zone and allow Chaos to attack the undead creatures' territory?"

"We can consider that as an alternate means."

Marlene pondered for a while before responding.

"If it doesn't work, we can slaughter the 3.5 million people in the fifth zone to eradicate the fate of them being killed by Chaos. This way, it will be enough to create a certain degree of distortion in the interval of fate and history."

"Chaos is mysteriously powerful. We have no time to waste. Let's make a decision."

This time, an unfamiliar and stern, deep voice sounded. Christie nodded in agreement and looked around her.

"Who shall do it?"

They were clearly speaking about slaughtering people and yet Christie's expression didn't change at all. It seemed as though she was asking who was going to pour the tea. On the other hand, Marlene nodded.

"Leave it to me. My moving fortress can kill them in a split second and they won't feel any pain."

"Alright then. Inform the people that Chaos is approaching and ask them to evacuate. From now onward, gather the people as much as possible and we will make our move. We will kill them and not allow Chaos to gain strength through them as Chaos is already overwhelming enough now. If this continues, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"Fate will not waver that easily. Just blood and death aren't enough to change the foundation."

Alice said and flipped the page.

"Just a few moments ago, the 3rd army that Shira led has perished. I suppose the alliance can't hang on any longer too. We have to be prepared. Should we launch our attacks now or wait for a better time? His Majesty isn't here, so we have to make the decision soon."

"..."

Rhode suddenly felt the atmosphere in the entire hall turned solemn as though they were watching their companion walk to the edge of the cliff. Even though he wasn't too sure what they were discussing, he felt that this was an important matter related to the entire world.

"Alright, how about this? If our deaths can change this spiraling trajectory, we shouldn't mind sacrificing ourselves. This isn't even worthy of a mention for the sake of our goal. My life is only this valuable and it seems like a great decision to use it for this purpose."

Marlene spoke in an ice-cold tone while the others didn't seem surprised.

As usual, Alice slowly flipped over another page and said, "Are you ready?"

"In theory, nothing will go wrong. As long as my predictions are right, my temporary death will not weaken my powers. But Alice and Christie, both of you have to take note that no matter what, our plan needs to have an insurance. Both of you are indispensable."

"I will retreat to the Astral Temple and wait for the results of this experiment. I hope your sacrifices won't be for nothing."

Christie lifted her head and spoke. Even though she was the smallest in stature among them, at this moment, she was as though the one overlooking and directing the overall situation. She looked at Marlene with a praising gaze, nodded her head firmly, and turned to the other three mysterious Deity Wardens enveloped in the darkness, which for some unknown reasons, Rhode could only see their silhouettes.

"Alright, I will think of a way to preserve my body and wait for the day Chaos is defeated."

"I'll leave it to you, Alice. You're the only one who can detect the spiraling trajectory of history. If anything were to happen to you, our years of hard work will all go to waste."

"His Majesty isn't around and the dragon soul heir's power can't resist Chaos anymore. This is our last chance to go into battle for them and if those foolish heirs can't recognize their own fate and the enemies they will face in the future, they will only return to destruction."

Christie raised her right hand.

"The Phenomenon Void will protect us until our final moments. Everyone, this will be our last battle."

After the radiance dissipated, the scenery before his eyes turned into nothingness.

"What's this?"

Rhode asked with knitted brows. He had to admit that even though the conversations from before had no cause and effect, he understood what they meant exactly. But it was due to this that he felt even more dubious of the situation as though...

"All of this was once destined," Alice said.

"History is a spiral-shaped cycle. No matter how hard one tries to escape or change, history will still be strikingly similar. No matter the cause or past, and the result is always the same. The later generation may taunt the stupidity and shortsightedness of the former generation while looking through history, but they will still eventually follow the same path. All we need to do is to ensure that the results are different. That's all."

"What's with the deal with the Void Dragon then? From what I saw just now, the Void Dragon is no longer in this world?"

"..."

This time, Alice didn't answer. Instead, the pitch-black darkness around Rhode flickered and a gigantic maze appeared before him.

"We're almost there, Your Majesty. Almost..."