Chapter 463: Useless, Useless, Useless!
Try?
The Demon King Nagath grinned, a twisted smile.
Being trapped in this damned secret chamber wasn’t pleasant. He was the Demon King! His harem was filled with all manner of beauties: Succubi, Wolfgirls, Harpies, Slimes, Minotaurs… any taste catered for.
He was a man of… diverse preferences.
But ever since that damned Jie Luo’s soul had entered his body, bringing that cursed Authority with it…
He hadn’t been warned about the side effects. Fortunately, past… indiscretions didn’t count. Otherwise, he would have lost all his power.
But he, the mighty Demon King, was now forced to live a life of… abstinence.
In the thousand-year history of the Demon Beast race, no king had ever been so… inconvenienced.
This chamber had become his prison. He had only left twice: once during the Evil God’s descent upon the Imperial City, and once to retrieve his son’s body.
And both times, he had quickly returned.
This wasn’t an ordinary chamber. Its walls, floor, and ceiling were made from special materials, inscribed with runes, forming a powerful barrier, concealing his presence.
He was the Demon King, and Jie Luo’s… condition was a constant insult.
He couldn’t tolerate it.
He lifted his leg, about to step out.
The Second Hero, Qin Chu, was strong, but he was no match for the Demon King.
But just as he was about to cross the threshold, he felt a strange… sensation, as if he were being watched.
His eyes narrowed, and he quickly retreated: “I just remembered something important…”
“By the way, where’s that woman, Shaye Shub-Niggurath? She’s been gone a long time,” he said, abruptly changing the subject.
Damn it.
Perhaps because of his two previous outings, the feeling of being observed was even stronger this time.
He felt a chilling gaze upon him, making him tremble.
He was the Demon King!
What could possibly frighten him so much?
He knew… it was a power beyond his comprehension.
…
Qin Chu and his companions didn’t stay in Exeter long.
While the Evil God’s descent hadn’t caused many casualties, the city had suffered considerable damage. The reconstruction would take time.
Edson would be busy, and Qin Chu didn’t want to be a burden. He declined the farewell banquet, simply bidding Milo, Phine, and Selma goodbye.
The princesses’ expressions were strange as he left, especially Milo, who, biting her lip, said she would visit the Imperial City… He didn’t think much of it, simply expressing his… welcome.
Back at the Residence, seeing his injuries, Angelica almost burst into tears.
She was a devoted maid, fussing over him, insisting he rest, forbidding him from doing anything.
With so many capable women in the Residence, he could afford a few days of rest.
And Athena had already begun her task.
…
At the border between human and Demon Beast territory.
Loseweisse had been hiding here.
Her face was grim.
To avoid detection, she rarely ventured into human settlements, knowing Qin Chu would hunt her down if he discovered her location.
Enemies had to be eliminated completely.
But information was crucial, so she sent Airi, now a mindless puppet, disguised and concealed, into human territory to gather intelligence, especially about the Empire, the Holy See, and Qin Chu.
And the news she received infuriated her.
That shameless bastard, Qin Chu, had purged the Holy See, killing nine high-ranking officials and thousands of clerics, then claimed the position of Pope.
Damn it… that position was rightfully hers.
She should have been the one, the first female Pope in thousands of years, worshipped by all. He had stolen her glory.
The thought filled her with rage and resentment. She wanted to tear him apart.
And he had ruined her reputation, spreading rumors of her corruption, her descent into madness, her supposed murder of Saintess Phyllis and Augustus. Wanted posters with her face were plastered everywhere.
While he enjoyed the Pope’s prestige, she was forced to hide like a rat, her name defiled. The contrast was unbearable.
She sensed a communication spell.
It was Athena.
After their last conversation, Sylph, realizing she wouldn’t get any useful information from Loseweisse, had stopped contacting her.
And Ekaterina, not being a mage, rarely used communication magic.
Only Athena contacted her regularly.
Initially, Loseweisse hadn’t trusted her. After all, after her sudden downfall, while Athena and Ekaterina still seemed to be working towards Jie Luo’s resurrection, she suspected everyone.
But after Athena had hidden two of Jie Luo’s soul fragments outside the Imperial City, and Airi had retrieved them without any problems, Loseweisse’s trust in Athena had grown.
She had even entrusted her with two soul fragments, such valuable items. Athena must be truly devoted to Jie Luo’s resurrection.
And Athena had explained why she and Ekaterina were still with Qin Chu, despite Sylph’s betrayal. They had… compromising information on Sylph, ensuring her silence.
But this balance was precarious. If it shifted, Athena and Ekaterina would be in danger. Qin Chu wouldn’t hesitate to kill them.
Of course, she didn’t care about their lives, only their usefulness. And she would eliminate them herself after resurrecting Jie Luo.
He would be hers, and hers alone.
She composed herself, then answered the call. Athena’s voice echoed:
“Loseweisse, good news.”
“I found another soul fragment.”
Loseweisse’s heart raced.
Athena was efficient.
Another fragment so soon?
It seemed that before her falling out with Qin Chu, progress had been slow. But now, everything was going smoothly.
Was it because Sylph, the traitor, had been exposed?
“I’ll leave it in the usual place. Retrieve it quickly, before anyone else finds it,” Athena said.
“And more good news. We don’t need Ekaterina to… obtain Qin Chu’s blood anymore. I have some.”
This was a bombshell.
Loseweisse’s excitement made her tremble.
They had his blood already?
“How?” she asked, unable to contain herself. It was the first time she had spoken to Athena in days.
“Loseweisse, it’s good to hear your voice.”
“As for the blood… you probably haven’t heard. Qin Chu went to Exeter with a few of his… companions. That’s where we found the soul fragment.”
She wasn’t worried about Loseweisse learning about the events in Exeter.
It was too remote. News traveled slowly. And Loseweisse, in hiding, wouldn’t hear about it for a while.
And by then, their plan would be complete.
“He had a… disagreement with the Elven King, who, it turns out, is a follower of… a certain god, similar to the one you summoned, the one with the crimson moon.”
“He tried to… confront the god, and was severely injured. I took the opportunity to… collect some of his blood while he was recovering…”
So, he had challenged a god? That fool, Qin Chu.
Serves him right.
Loseweisse’s face twisted in a cruel smile: “A single vial? Is that enough?”
“Athena, why didn’t you just kill him?”
Useless, useless, useless…
She cursed inwardly.
A long, uncomfortable silence followed.
Then, Athena’s voice, cold and suspicious:
“Loseweisse, we’re still good sisters, right?”
Her cold tone made Loseweisse’s heart skip a beat. She had made a mistake.
Chapter 464: Loseweisse’s Sweet Dream
From Athena’s cold tone, Loseweisse sensed her displeasure and knew she had misspoken.
Consumed by her hatred and jealousy of Qin Chu, upon hearing of his injury and Athena’s failure to kill him, she had lost control, even cursing Athena inwardly for her incompetence.
But she instantly regretted her outburst.
She was no longer the Goddess’s chosen, the future Pope. She had lost everything: her followers, her status, her power.
She wasn’t even the driving force behind Jie Luo’s resurrection anymore. That role now belonged to Athena.
If not for Athena’s… precarious position, with so many of Jie Luo’s soul fragments, she wouldn’t have entrusted them to Loseweisse.
Facing Athena’s coldness, Loseweisse didn’t know how to respond. Then, Athena’s voice, filled with anger, echoed in her ear:
“Loseweisse, have you considered my situation?”
“Qin Chu was injured. I could have killed him, but what then?”
“Do you think his… companions would have spared me?”
“And Shaye was there… you know, the silver-haired woman who defeated you so easily.”
That woman… Loseweisse’s eyes narrowed, the memory of her humiliating defeat a burning ember in her heart.
She was the Goddess’s chosen, and that woman… a nobody. Why was she so powerful? Why was she so beautiful?
As if she were the most perfect creation, making Loseweisse seem… ugly.
“You know her strength. Obtaining even a single vial of his blood was a risk. And you wanted me to kill him? Do you think my life isn’t valuable?”
Athena’s anger fueled Loseweisse’s frustration.
If she still held her former position, with her thousands of followers, would Athena dare speak to her like this?
But now, she could only suppress her anger, forcing a sweet, apologetic tone: “Sister Athena, please don’t be angry. I misspoke.”
“Please believe me, I didn’t mean to endanger you.”
“I just… hate that bastard, Qin Chu. I lost control.”
“And Sister, think about it, Jie Luo’s resurrection depends on us, on you, me, and Ekaterina. And you’re the most important among us. Without you… he can never be resurrected.”
She knew that mentioning Jie Luo was the most effective way to appease Athena.
Athena… just wait. Once he’s resurrected, you’ll be useless. And then…
As expected, Athena’s anger subsided slightly: “Hmph, you better remember that.”
“I’ll leave the soul fragments in the usual place. Retrieve them when you can.”
“As for Qin Chu’s blood… I’ll keep it for now,” she added coldly. “While I intended to give it to you, I think it’s best I keep some… leverage.”
Loseweisse’s fingers clenched, her frustration growing. So close… she almost had everything she needed.
She didn’t press the matter. It would only make Athena more suspicious.
Her careless words had shifted the power dynamic. Athena, initially seeking her trust, now held the upper hand.
Athena had seized the opportunity, turning the tables.
“We haven’t found the last soul fragment yet, but we have a lead. I’ll retrieve it soon,” she continued.
“And my situation is… precarious. While Sylph hasn’t revealed everything yet, she sees me and Ekaterina as threats. She wants us gone.”
“Thanks to her, Qin Chu has become distant, suspicious.”
“So, I can’t act rashly. You’ll have to gather the other materials for the resurrection ritual.”
“Compared to the soul fragments and Qin Chu’s blood, those should be easy to obtain. Surely you can handle such a simple task, Loseweisse?”
Her condescending tone, her assumption of authority… Loseweisse could almost see her smug expression.
Damn it.
She seethed inwardly, but she forced a smile: “Of course. While those ingredients are rare, it’s not a problem for me. I’ll gather them quickly.”
“Good. Contact me if anything happens.”
Athena ended the call.
A cold smile touched her lips.
Her master’s task was complete, for now.
Loseweisse must be dreaming of Jie Luo’s resurrection.
After all, thanks to Qin Chu’s manipulations, it seemed so close.
She would be filled with hope, her motivation at its peak, willing to do anything.
It would be… amusing to watch her hopes crumble, to see her realize it was all a lie, a cruel deception.
Athena felt a strange… satisfaction at her own ruthlessness. Perhaps spending so much time with Qin Chu had… rubbed off on her.
…
Meanwhile, Loseweisse stood motionless, her eyes wide, her face flushed, her breathing ragged, her mind filled with excitement.
Hope.
She had never felt so close to achieving her goal.
She reached out, as if she could almost touch him, feel his warmth.
It was almost within her grasp, just one final step.
Once it was done, he would be hers again.
The thought filled her with warmth, her heart, long dormant, seeming to beat again.
All her past failures, her comrades’ deaths… they had all been necessary sacrifices.
Benson, Muse, Karsus, Ronald, Airi… they were all gone, but it didn’t matter. As long as she was alive.
And Sylph, that traitor… she would deal with her later.
And Ekaterina… she had carefully manipulated her, turning her into her spy, yet she had been practically useless, providing little valuable information. A worthless pawn, unfit to be near Jie Luo. She would eliminate her as well.
Athena was the only problem.
She had stolen Ekaterina’s role, dealing the final blow to Qin Chu, obtaining his blood. And unlike Ekaterina, she wasn’t easily manipulated.
The blood was her leverage. She would demand to participate in the ritual.
And she was also searching for the last soul fragment.
She couldn’t kill her yet.
And after Jie Luo’s resurrection, eliminating her would be difficult. He wouldn’t approve.
Perhaps… during the ritual itself? While she was focused on the spell, she could… eliminate her?
And then tell Jie Luo she had sacrificed herself for his resurrection?
She began plotting Athena’s demise.
After a while, she took a deep breath, calming herself, remembering her task.
The resurrection ritual required more than just the soul fragments and the Hero’s blood. It also needed several rare ingredients.
She had already acquired the easier ones during her time as Saintess. Only two remained:
Soul-Returning Grass, a rare herb said to be able to revive even the most grievously injured, found only in the deepest parts of the Demon Beast territory.
And a Mermaid’s Heart, found only in the deepest depths of the endless ocean.
Both locations were incredibly dangerous.
But her eyes gleamed with a fierce determination, her gaze fixed on the starry sky:
Jie Luo, wait for me. No matter the cost, I will resurrect you.
It won’t be long now.
