Sigh...
Her memories slowly returned to that night fourteen years ago, the night she accepted Flaviel’s confession ring. Vieya let out a soft sigh as she stared at her now-empty fingers. She slowly curled them, then opened them again, her feelings tangled and heavy.
Just like that night fourteen years ago.
That unusual gift.
She said she would protect her for a lifetime.
But she never expected... it would be in this way that she fulfilled her promise to herself.
She really did say it and do it.
A protection that [N O V E L I G H T] reached across the long river of life and the chasm of death.
“Come to think of it, I think I only accepted because I was greedy for her body... Was I really that bad?”
Vieya suddenly fell silent. But thinking about it, all of that was already in the past. There was no point in digging too deeply.
Even if she still, uncontrollably, lingered on that warmth back then—along with the scent of perfume in her memory and that fluttery white skirt becoming vivid again.
She always did love wearing white.
Vieya rubbed her fingers together, constantly feeling as if a faint, illusory warmth still lingered between them.
At this moment, her desire to resurrect that Demon King climbed straight to its peak.
“Mom! You finally woke up!”
Not far away, Jasmine brightened, holding a bowl of hot water. She hurried over to Vieya in two tiny half-runs.
At the same time, everyone else naturally turned their attention toward her.
“Mom, do you want some water...” Jasmine said.
“You finally woke up. We just caught someone who surrendered herself. We were waiting for you to wake up so we could discuss how to deal with her.” Anna said.
“Big sister, you just got struck by lightning twice earlier!” Maixi said.
“Big white hair, didn’t expect you to be this weak. That spider took seven or eight lightning strikes and was still fine. You only took two and you’re already drained.” Elizabeth said.
So noisy...
Vieya accepted the hot water from her daughter and took a small sip. “Where’s the one you said surrendered herself?”
The moment she finished speaking—
Smack!
Anna shoved a green-haired girl, tightly bound by magic rope, onto the floor.
“Here, this green-haired little thief. Just after you fainted, she came out to surrender... carries the aura of one of those gloomy, brooding women. Looks like a bad person. Just in case, I bound her with magic.”
Kneeling on the white jade floor was a very familiar girl, still in that all-black, emotionless assassin attire from those years ago. frёewebnoѵēl.com
“So it’s you. Because of you, I missed counting one more person getting struck by lightning.”
Vieya spoke flatly, took another sip of hot water, and said slowly, “Last time I gave you a chance and let you go. You didn’t go home and spend time with your sister. Now you come looking for me again. Aurora, did your brain rust?”
“I’m an assassin. Family and such are things one can discard whenever necessary.” Aurora spoke softly. “Long time no see. Ever since we parted last time, our organization has been searching for information on you.”
“They want to eliminate you as a threat. But the Lower Three couldn’t defeat you, the Middle Three have almost no chance, and only the head of the Upper Three has enough certainty to suppress you.”
“But the head of the Upper Three currently has no time to target you, so the mission concerning you has been temporarily put aside.”
“I see.”
Vieya rose and stretched lazily. She glanced at the green-haired assassin who looked like she had been battered by society. “And which tier are you?”
“I am an emotionless assassin.” Aurora paused. “Kill me or cut me apart as you please.”
“Looks like you haven’t even reached the Lower Three. Pathetic.”
Vieya crouched beside the green-haired girl—who was tied up like a little caterpillar—and lightly slapped her cheeks, producing crisp, humiliating smacking sounds.
However, this former member of her Hero Squad did not react as she expected—did not flare up in anger.
Aurora silently stared at the white-haired woman pinching and slapping her face. No sadness, no joy, like a machine with no emotions.
Uh... did this girl go through something in the last three years?
Sigh... she used to be so hyper, and now she’s wooden.
Vieya withdrew her hand, feeling bored. She sighed inwardly, then stood up and mocked:
“I don’t kill nobodies. When you make it to the Upper Three, come find me for revenge. For now, I don’t have time to deal with a small fry like you.”
With that, Vieya turned and prepared to deal with the godseat Tartaros, who had died in the ancient era.
“Lilian came to see me.” Aurora suddenly said from the floor.
“...”
Vieya froze mid-step. Waves crashed in her heart.
She suddenly realized that that Saintess was quietly doing something behind her back. Yet she herself knew nothing. And now the two of them—one was on the Northern Frontier, the other on the Southern Frontier.
The distance between them was far more than a hundred thousand li.
Even using nonstop super-long-range directional teleportation arrays, it would still take days.
But judging from the letter she received from Lilian a few days ago, and based on its content, she chose to believe Lilian had no intention of harming her.
Hmm... why do I feel like I’m developing some kind of persecution paranoia?
Tch. All that dragon’s fault.
It was one thing to seduce me while alive, but now she has to seduce me in dreams too. And worst part—seducing me halfway and then leaving me hanging!
The slime girl fumed internally, but on the surface her expression remained as calm as a still lake. Her steps only paused for a moment before she continued toward the six-winged angel statue in the center of the hall.
Beside her—
Anna blinked, then hurried after her. “You two know each other? Should I untie her then?”
“We do, but if you’re going to untie her, do it after we leave this underground city.” Vieya continued walking. “By the way, were you the one who took the treasures from that museum? If not, I’ll ask her later.”
“Museum... oh, so you call that golden palace a museum?”
“Yes, that’s the museum.”
“Don’t worry, I took everything that could be taken. They’re all stuffed in my magical pouch!”
Anna winked at the slime girl, her blue eyes full of delight.
“As long as we get out safely, we’ll make a killing! With this much material, we can raise our ‘Black Lagoon’ to a first-class organization. At that point, the yearly gold cut alone would be enough for your daughter to spend lavishly for a lifetime!”
Vieya nodded and reminded her, “A strong organization needs a solid foundation in the early stage. Progress steadily. Don’t expand too fast.”
“Yes, yes, Miss Vieya is right.” Anna nodded rapidly, looking genuinely enlightened.
Since this was the first thing in her life she was doing with full effort, Anna naturally would not allow the slightest flaw.
Next, Vieya counted everyone again, then relayed the information she knew—secrets of this underground city, stories and conjectures concerning Tartaros.
After preparations were complete, she stepped forward alone and stood before the silver-plated statue more than ten meters tall. Its eyes glared wide with fury, and each pair of wings behind it flashed with terrifying thunder.
This was the creator of the underground city: the Archangel, eldest son of the Primordial God, tyrant of the heavens, fallen angel of the earth.
Even though He had died who-knows-how-many ages ago, the oppressive authority emanating from the statue still weighed upon everyone like a massive stone.
No wonder he slaughtered all his brothers and sisters... Elizabeth whispered in her heart.
The slime girl stood before the majestic statue, tiny yet fearless.
Her green eyes fixed forward. Her lips parted slightly. Her voice was calm, yet filled with power:
“Tartaros, come out and talk with me.”