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Time slipped by, second after second, and the entire hall sank into silence.
Everyone’s hearts were lodged in their throats. ƒreewebɳovel.com
The statue before them—paired with the mythlike things Vieya had just explained—was too shocking.
Yet the miraculous structures within the underground city, along with those impossible artifacts, made it impossible for them not to believe.
Vieya’s heartbeat was fast too.
But not from awe or nervousness.
She simply wanted to test this so-called first-generation godseat—its ability and its insight.
If you lived for that long, surely you know more hidden secrets about this world, right?
Gulp.
Elizabeth suddenly swallowed. She saw the statue’s eyes gain a spark of life.
As though someone had dotted the dragon’s eyes in a painting—this once lifeless statue suddenly carried a sense of awakening.
The statue opened its mouth.
“Pilgrim, you who have come all this way—what is it you seek?”
“Pilgrim? So you really are Tartaros?” Vieya frowned.
“Yes.”
Just one word, yet the voice seemed to descend from the highest heavens.
As if a true godseat were answering, overlooking all beings—enough to make all living things tremble, as though with a single thought He could reduce everything to dust.
He was exalted above all, majestic and sacred.
Just by lighting the statue’s eyes, He radiated an invincible aura that defied the ages.
Inside the vast hall, everyone felt a fear rising from the bottom of their hearts—Elizabeth and Jiele Xiyin, the two Demon Kings, felt it even more.
It was as if they had returned to that era when their entire race was ruled by that Great Demon King’s terror.
“It’s fine. He’s dead. He can’t stir up any waves in front of me.”
Vieya gently soothed the group, her small body standing between them and the statue.
She barely reached 1.7 meters even in her fully developed slime-girl form, yet standing there quietly, she became a mountain even the old godseat could not cross.
“Tartaros...”
Vieya remained calm, her voice level but carrying a tone of questioning. “Why did you peek at my memories?”
“Simply to see what my successor looks like now.” Tartaros’s voice was majestic.
Successor...
Looks like he’s mistaken me for Flaviel?
Vieya couldn’t help feeling curious as to how her Demon King wife had pulled off all those feats.
Back then, she had used her absurd stats to pin half-dragonized Flaviel beneath her, intending to calm her down like their usual quarrels—
and then stab her once with the Holy Sword.
Originally, she just wanted Flaviel to cool her head, then tie her up and drag her home...
But unexpectedly, Flaviel fought so fiercely that day, completely dragonizing while still impaled on the Holy Sword.
Was it because her demon subjects stood behind her? Vieya never knew, and did not want to think about it. She had almost lost the strength to even hold her sword.
Seeing Flaviel fully dragonize, she had even thought—
should I just give up resisting?
Give up the glory and hope humans forced onto me...
Sigh. Thinking about the past only made everything more chaotic.
Being a brainless slime is better.
Throw away burdens fast enough, and disaster can’t catch up.
Yes.
This is fine.
“Tartaros... If I am not your successor, what then? If I am, what then?” Vieya asked softly.
“Heh. I do not like hanging chains of so-called virtue and morality around my neck.” Tartaros’s tone stayed calm. “Whether you are or are not. The being who can stand before me now—there is only one, and that is you.”
“And moreover...”
The statue’s gaze swept over everyone present, then returned to Vieya, his tone carrying approval.
“...the power you possess is reason enough for me to treat you differently.”
“Perhaps the world outside paints me as evil, a tyrant, a despicable patricide and fratricide...”
“No.” Vieya interrupted him. “In the current era, there aren’t any stories about you at all. Only Demon Kings who inherit certain memories and a very small number of humans know of you. And before I came here, even I didn’t know.”
“...”
The statue fell silent, as though doubting himself.
After a long while, He seemed relieved and continued, “It is well if no records of me remain. At least this way, endless enemies will not appear attempting to dig up my tomb. Aside from you all, no one else will disturb the rest I share /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ with her.”
“Her?”
Vieya caught the word immediately. “She—your spouse? Before coming down here, I encountered a demon who resembled you. Was that demon your son?”
“...No. That demon was merely the evil intent I split off.” The statue added, “And my wife was simply a human high priestess...”
Then the statue changed the subject.
“Pilgrim, I know you came with certain unspoken intentions—to hollow out this underground city I left behind to achieve your own goals, or to seek answers.”
“I cannot stop you now. But I still wish to say this: return, pilgrim. The lower levels contain nothing you want.”
“...”
Vieya lowered her gaze.
This godseat was cunning—he not only sensed she had a purpose, but deliberately spoke in a way to mislead Elizabeth and the others.
“You know what I seek?”
A spark of lightning rose from the statue’s wings, bursting in midair and forming a soundproof barrier.
In the blink of an eye, Vieya was separated from the others.
She turned and saw Jasmine and the others’ startled faces, their lips opening and closing continuously as though asking something.
Meanwhile, the statue said:
“I know you wish to revive your spouse.”
Vieya’s irritation sank away. Her eyes narrowed slightly, waiting for His next words.
“But I do not possess resurrection elixirs nor an Aladdin wishing stone,” the statue said. “Yet I do have a method. Perhaps... we can make a trade.”
“In the Golden City on the nineteenth floor, there is a pool filled with liquid time. This liquid time—you may use it to water the elves’ divine tree, accelerating its recovery.”
“I can give you that pool, along with the Golden City.
But in return, you must ensure that in the future, for as long as you live, no one may touch the levels beneath this place.”
His tone was calm, yet the words were like those of a demon whispering temptation.
Such an enticing offer—
just act as a gatekeeper, and she could obtain something that might fulfill her wish.
Tch. I want the goods, but being your gatekeeper? Absolutely not.
Vieya’s heart stirred.
“What is in the next levels... that you would go this far?”
“A crystal coffin that preserves my wife.” The statue said quietly. “Do you accept this trade?” ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
“I can.
But your method may not work. So I will not waste the rest of my life guarding your tomb.” Vieya said.
“Do not worry. I simply want you to stop bringing others down here.” The statue replied calmly.
Vieya: “...”
