The carpet, woven from gold and silver threads, gleamed with radiant splendor high above the boundless starry sky. Atop it stood the silver-white conference table, and after a century’s absence, the assembly of the gods had begun.
There was no azure sky or drifting clouds—only the dark, frigid expanse of the starlit sea. The space surrounding them twisted into a near-kaleidoscopic distortion, as if the ground beneath their feet were anything but solid. Directions blurred together, leaving even the sturdiest unsteady on their legs.
The conference table was etched with obscure runes, symbols that had appeared in records from countless worlds—seals binding monsters and ancient divine artifacts. Yet they represented merely a single drop in the vast ocean of primordial knowledge.
No mortal could glimpse the true power of the gods.
Figures clad in gold-edged white robes sat along both sides of the table, their faces completely obscured by veils of golden light—a divine force concealing their features.
To reveal one’s appearance unbidden during such a gathering would be the height of rudeness in the presence of that exalted one.
Even so, they all knew one another’s identities intimately—or rather, those identities were familiar to every ear.
The Lord God had not yet taken his seat, and murmurs rustled through the air unabated.
“Isn’t this the one who conquered the A++ world of Eisrel? Delighted to see you.”
A white-robed figure rose to his feet, gazing at the one seated beside him in an identical white robe and chair.
He looked rather like a mad scientist.
“You’re Steranta, aren’t you? That outfit doesn’t suit you at all.”
“You’re one to talk,” Steranta replied with a shrug. “It’s not exactly a strict rule. Who doesn’t love a bit of beauty?”
“True enough.”
“Hush—the Lord God is about to speak.”
Suddenly, a flash of light descended from above, though there was no sky here to speak of. At the head of the conference table, the man wearing a mask sat ramrod straight.
The golden radiance faded, revealing his dignified posture. The hollow eyes of his golden mask seemed to greet the assembled gods on either side, though it was more likely appraising them sternly.
Only after confirming something to his satisfaction did he clear his throat. His voice, aged yet magnetic, seemed to resonate directly within their souls:
“Fellow saviors, fellow gods—after half a year apart, at this moment of crisis when our worlds face relentless erosion from the demonic hordes, it is my great honor and fortune that we gather once more around this table.”
“As for the omens of recent S-Rank conquest difficulties, I’m sure you’ve all heard the rumors. I won’t belabor the point…”
“But between then and now, in one uncounted cycle of sunrises, the god overseeing an S-Rank world met an untimely end. That continent was Camiran.”
The words of the one called the “Lord God” had scarcely fallen when the gods erupted into discussion.
From their voices, one could barely discern the elderly—nonagenarians both male and female—the clear tones of children, and the cadences of adults and middle-aged alike…
“What? Dead?”
“Impossible. Someone slew a god? The gods of S-Rank worlds should be…”
“Gods are immortal. Could it have been the power of the demons devouring them?”
Gods embodied eternity, their numbers grew with excruciating slowness, and death—especially at the hands of opposing evil—was an incalculable loss to the Divine Realm.
“Precisely,” the Lord God said, nodding approvingly at one of the gods. “When divine power falls into the hands of others—especially the wicked—it is a catastrophic loss… The conquest difficulty of Camiran Continent has now surpassed that of all other worlds.”
What the Lord God left unsaid was that the latest god he had dispatched there in secret had also vanished without a trace. Unless proven otherwise, it had likely met the same devoured fate.
“If left unchecked, our losses will be beyond measure.”
“We must nip it in the bud before it blossoms into disaster.”
~~~
Meanwhile, at the pinnacle of a grand and opulent palace, the chirping of morning birds roused the Evil Dragon from deep slumber.
A certain Dragon Princess rubbed her bleary eyes, dragging her weary body from the warm embrace of her bedding. Barefoot, she slipped from the bed.
So tired… so sleepy!
What had happened yesterday, anyway?
Oh right, it was a bit fuzzy. Leia had been petting her, and somehow she’d slipped into some unknown state before passing out!
She hoped Leia hadn’t figured out how to turn the dragon egg into twins. Otherwise, she and the Holy Sword would end up broken—at least one of them, or both.
Xuefei glanced at the clock and quickened her pace.
Time was of the essence today.
Because…
The Snake Demon Princess was coming to pay her respects to the Dragon King.
Unlike the others seeking audience with the Evil Dragon, the Snake Demon was someone Leia had specifically prioritized. Her visit was inextricably linked to the Hero Party.
By the time Xuefei arrived, Leia was already seated rigidly upon the dark throne. After exchanging a silent glance, Xuefei took her place beside the throne, upon a slightly lower black seat of honor.
The cute smile that usually adorned her face turned serious.
As footsteps drew steadily closer, Xuefei’s gaze shifted to the grand doors.
Two women shifted from serpentine forms into human shapes and entered the palace with reverent caution, trailed by a human swordsman.
At the center walked a girl with dark green hair, clad in luxurious light gauze—the Snake Demon Princess herself.
Oppressive stone sculptures of all varieties stood like giants along both sides of the palace hall. Under the pressure emanating from the Dragon King and the Maid Corps, the three visitors all dropped to half-kneel on the floor, pledging their loyalty.
“Our deepest apologies, Dragon King,” the leader began. “Our party has been blocked by forces from various nations. That is precisely why we have come to seek your aid.”
“Very well. State your terms,” Leia replied. Her exquisite face rested against the arm of the dark throne, as if she were both scorning and peering through the petty mortal world below. Yet there was no trace of laziness in her demeanor; instead, she radiated an effortless majesty.
The Snake Demon Princess drew a small box from within her bosom. Her calm composure even took Leia by surprise. “This is our offer. Please examine it, Dragon King.”
Laer stepped forward, took the proffered box from the Snake Demon Princess’s hands, and delivered it to Leia.
When the lid opened, a single key gleamed inside. Everyone present knew exactly what that key signified.
It was the treasure and very lifeblood of the Snake Demons—the primary reason why nations had long ravaged their lands with fire and sword.
Xuefei’s pupils flickered faintly as an ominous premonition flashed through her mind.
“Endless Treasure, hmm… I never imagined you’d stake this as your bargaining chip,” Leia said with a nod. The Snake Demon Princess’s expression grew taut with anxiety, for she feared this coldly beautiful Dragon King might erupt in legendary fury and slaughter both her and her battle-hardened escort.
“Excellent. I shall dispatch someone to retrieve it. From this day forward, the Snake Demon Country shall fall under our protection.”
“Our deepest gratitude, Dragon King.”
At the sight of the Snake Demon Princess’s expression, Xuefei finally grasped what felt so wrong.
Especially that fellow kneeling behind the Snake Demon Princess—or rather, Okate, a member of the Hero Party.
Why was he here?!
In the first playthrough, it should have been Xuefei herself who arranged for Okate, one of the Hero Party’s powerhouses, to escort the Snake Demon Princess to the Dragon King. Even the “devious ploy” of offering the key to the Endless Treasure had been her own idea!
So why, even without her involvement, had history unfolded exactly as before?
