They were still in the midst of discussion when several stones whistled through the air, smacking against the carriage’s glass windows like a sudden burst of raindrops.
“What is that?”
Lady Xuefei peered out the window. There stood row upon row of snake demons.
Judging by their clothing, it was clear they were mere commoners, their faces etched with fury. Every so often, one would hurl a stone in rage—that was the source of the noise.
“Have these fools lost their minds…” Xuefei muttered to herself. Sure enough, mere seconds later, the carriage ground to a halt amid shouts of argument from up ahead.
The guards strained desperately to shove their way through the crowd, but hopelessly outnumbered, they were pushed back like waves retreating from the shore.
“Let’s go see what’s happening.”
“Mm.”
The two alighted from the carriage. No sooner had they opened the door than the uproar surpassed even Xuefei’s expectations:
“No aid from the Demon Race! Defend our homeland!”
“Traitor! Traitor!”
“Princess Celi, go die!”
Xuefei let out a sigh.
Princess Celi was far too soft-hearted. If it had been her, she would have dragged this lot back for at least fifty lashes apiece. Insulting a princess was an unforgivable crime—beheading them would have been entirely standard.
It was all rather dull. In essence, someone had rallied a mob of citizens into a protest march to block the road, all because word had leaked of Princess Celi seeking help from the Demon Race.
Poor Princess Celi. Beset by external threats from every other race, she now faced pressure from within her own people as well—troubles both inside and out.
Suddenly, a stone hurtled toward Xuefei’s face. Though her magic pulverized it to dust beforehand, the affront still grated on her.
“Damn it…”
Xuefei’s cheeks puffed out in anger, her dragon eyes flickering with sparks of fire.
Utterly devoid of respect!
As one might expect, when trouble didn’t concern you, it was easy to remain a detached observer. Only when it crashed down on your own head did fury ignite.
She simply had to give them a lesson they wouldn’t forget…
If pressure took on a hue, then everything in sight became an ocean of crimson-purple, like countless blades stabbing into every heart.
In an instant, the cries of protest dwindled sharply. Even the guards and the crowd, locked in confrontation, dropped their struggles and stood frozen in place. The snake tails gliding across the ground began to quiver uncontrollably. Weaker individuals staggered, on the verge of collapse.
“I’m sorry—truly sorry, Lady Xuefei.”
The first to sense Xuefei’s wrath was Celi.
She hurried forward at once, bowing deeply to Xuefei. Her own body trembled faintly, plainly cowed by Xuefei’s rage.
Apology was written across her face. That obsequious posture doused Xuefei like a bucket of ice water, leaving her tongue-tied as she stared at Celi, who kept her head lowered for what felt like ages.
“You…”
“Lady Xuefei, please don’t hurt them. I beg you…”
Celi moved to kneel outright, but before she could, Xuefei shot Laer a glance. Quick on the uptake, Laer darted forward and caught her, sparing her knees the mud of the road.
Xuefei advanced a few steps herself, her delicate brows knitting together. Yet Celi spoke first:
“They’re just desperate folk who can’t fill their bellies. They’re not bad at heart. Please… Lady Xuefei, forgive them.”
“You’re still holding to that even now…” Xuefei feigned cool detachment. “I simply lost control for a moment. I had no intention of harming anyone. Rest easy~”
“Thank you, Lady Xuefei.”
Celi rose from Laer’s warm embrace, thanked her with gratitude, then bowed once more to Xuefei before regaining her composure—though the damp traces at the corners of her eyes had yet to fully fade. At the same time, the protesters encircling them, freed from the pressure, came to their senses and scattered in panicked flight.
And so the disturbance—or harassment—drew to a close.
Xuefei gazed down the now-deserted street, marveling at the perks of true power. During the first playthrough, the exact same incident had occurred, but she had delivered a rousing speech for ages, relying on the silver-tongued member of her team to whip up the crowd’s emotions before scraping by with success.
How the world turned~
A sudden thought struck her, and she turned to Celi.
“If you truly wish to thank me, then tonight—we claim the Endless Treasure.”
“Tonight?”
Celi hesitated for a moment.
“It might be a bit rushed, but… yes, no problem! We can make it!”
“Then I leave it in your hands.”
Xuefei concealed a smile amid Laer’s puzzled look and strode briskly back to the carriage. Worn out from the journey, perhaps, she leaned against the window, closed her eyes, and dozed lightly.
~~~
In the mere span of closing and opening her eyes, the group arrived at the Royal Palace of the Snake Demon Country.
As planned, they mustered the royal guards of the snake demon royals, skirted the heavily fortified armies of the watching nations, and used the key in Xuefei’s possession to break the seal on the Endless Treasure.
In the First Playthrough, the true culprit behind Celi’s death—the Evil Dragon’s contract—was no different from a curse.
The Royal Palace showed none of the dilapidated defenses of a fortress or the shabby squalor of the residential districts. Instead, it exuded an overall grandeur and splendor, like a fallen princess. Though all her embedded treasures had long since been stripped away, she still carried herself with dignified elegance.
Three cups of steaming green tea sat on the peachwood round table, tendrils of white mist rising from them. The surface of the tea reflected Celi’s smiling face.
“I’m sorry—it might not be what you’re accustomed to, but… this is the best we can offer for now…”
“It’s fine.”
Xuefei waved a hand dismissively.
In truth, Xuefei had only begun living the Evil Dragon’s standard of “wine, women, and song” after her evil corruption. This simple, unadorned fare of plain tea and rice actually suited her just fine.
That said, where were the Hero and his companions?
She hadn’t caught sight of the Hero so far—and truthfully, Xuefei had no desire to run into them.
In the depths of her intuition, she sensed a conspiracy steadily unfurling. If she didn’t hurry back to the Evil Dragon Palace, it would descend upon her and block her path.
“Could you tell us the exact location of the Treasure Vault?”
Xuefei was starting to grow restless. In reality, there was still nearly an hour before their departure.
If she could, she’d fly straight there and snatch the Endless Treasure herself.
But for the sake of Princess Celi’s dignity and their agreement with the Snake Demon Country, it was essential to uphold the Evil Dragon’s poise and unflappable demeanor.
“It’s to the north of the Snake Demon Country. Don’t worry, Lady Xuefei—the escort team will be here soon to pick us up. After all, relaying the message takes a little time~”
Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, Celi rose to her feet. She glanced first at the vast white expanse overhead and gave a slight nod.
“If there’s nothing pressing, I’ll take my leave for now. Feel free to summon me anytime if you need anything, Lady Xuefei, Lady Laer.”
“Alright…”
“Mm.”
They watched Celi depart the cottage. Laer’s expression turned solemn in an instant. The two lapsed into silence, each harboring their own concerns. But as the air grew bitingly cold, Laer realized they couldn’t just sit like this. She gave Xuefei’s shoulder a light pat and murmured in a voice only they could hear:
“There’s something wrong here.”
“Right?” Xuefei nodded, her face adopting an “I knew it” look.
If even Laer was saying it, that confirmed her suspicions.
“The Royal Palace… carries the aura of the Gods.”
