“So, does that mean the Hero Party is in the Royal Palace? That would make sense, and moreover…”
Gods couldn’t possibly be as common as cabbages, could they? No matter how she looked at it, running into two of them in a row didn’t feel right—especially since, generally speaking, each world was guarded by just a single god.
The Hero Party was clearly inseparable from the gods now. For all she knew, everyone—including Okate—had long since been turned into pawns!
“I understand your concerns, Lady Xuefei, but if you’re going to scout it out, please take me with you,” Laer said gravely.
This time, she had to stick to Xuefei like glue. She absolutely could not allow even the slightest mishap to befall her—otherwise, there would be no way to face Lady Leia.
“How did you know?”
“Because you’ve always been like this, Lady Xuefei. Whenever something feels off, you can’t help but investigate it thoroughly out of curiosity. Just like that one time when you earned Lady Leia’s favor, and you went to exhaustive lengths poring over Dragon Clan pregnancy…”
“Stop, stop, stop!” Xuefei’s face flushed bright red.
She absolutely could not let that incident come to light! Otherwise, she’d never live it down.
Laer covered her mouth and chuckled, steering the conversation back to the gods.
“Xuefei, let me fill you in—it’s not like one world gets matched to just one god.”
“Oh? Then how does it work?”
“Gods have different roles and levels of power. Some handle purging evil from worlds, others are combat powerhouses who descend directly to aid the Hero Party. Then there are the wise and cunning ones who devise strategies, wielding their abilities to govern or manipulate certain worlds.”
In other words, Alres—the god possessing Okate—might just be some ordinary battle specialist, not a powerhouse capable of handling an S-level World. There was still a gap between him and that old man who’d sent her here.
…Or so she hoped.
Xuefei stood up. As her magic gathered, her entire body turned semitransparent, shifting into a hazy purple-red mist that drifted lightly through the air. Laer, meanwhile, cast a more straightforward spell that rendered them both completely invisible—even masking their scents.
“You’re pretty impressive, Laer!” Xuefei praised. She’d never learned a spell like that.
“Don’t let anyone touch you, Xuefei, or it’ll wear off.”
“Got it.”
Xuefei had no idea where she was looking anymore. She could only sense Laer’s general position through her sensitivity to magic. Without specialized vision magic, even she couldn’t track her properly.
Not bad for the Great Sage—or rather, the Evil Dragon’s strongest guardian.
“By the way…” Xuefei suddenly halted, speaking cautiously.
Since they were invisible, no one could see her face burning red.
“With someone as strong as you leaving the Evil Dragon Fortress—and me not at Leia’s side—won’t something go wrong?”
“No, it won’t.”
Laer denied Xuefei’s worries without hesitation.
“The Evil Dragon Palace is the safest place in the world, protected by over a thousand magical barriers. If it’s not safe there, then nowhere is.”
Those barriers, of course, had all been crafted by Laer herself.
Xuefei shivered.
Back in the First Playthrough, during the Evil Dragon subjugation battle, one such barrier had blocked their path.
That watery membrane had been tougher than a turtle’s shell. It trapped the Hero Party for an entire day, forcing them to rack their brains and try every trick in the book just to shatter it. And even after they did, they still had to face the Elite Evil Dragon Guards. For Xuefei, it had become a deep-seated trauma—practically PTSD.
A thousand layers?
The Hero Party from back then would have needed at least three years to break through!
“Let’s go, let’s go…”
“Mm-hmm.” A pleased smile lit up Laer’s face. She knew this was recognition of her work.
What she didn’t mention was that the current Evil Dragon Palace—its traps, defenses, and even the Maid Corps’ combat prowess—were leagues beyond what they’d been. The Xuefei from the Hero era probably wouldn’t even make it to Laer’s side before getting taken out.
They slipped out of the Tea Room, holding their breath as they moved. Eventually, they came to a halt on the Third Layer of the Royal Palace, outside a room that resembled a living room.
Thanks to someone’s carelessness, the door wasn’t fully closed. A faint breeze slipped through, and the wooden door let out a soft “creak”—as if inviting Xuefei inside.
Voices drifted from within, making Xuefei’s heart thud heavily.
“Xuefei?”
…
Laer stood behind her and clearly sensed her hesitation. In an attempt to reassure her, she asked:
“Are you feeling lost, Lady Xuefei?”
“Not at all,” Xuefei replied firmly. “I belong completely to Lady Leia. We’re just carrying out our mission now—these people are nothing but enemies.”
“It’s just… this atmosphere is a little nostalgic.”
The voices drifting from inside the door weren’t the deep, chilling murmurs of conspiracy, nor bursts of raucous laughter. Instead, they brimmed with gentleness and care:
“Is your wound all right?”
“It’s fine, thank you!”
“Make sure to eat plenty to build your strength back up. In a few months, we’ll have something really good to eat, hehe~”
“Yeah, you all do your best today too!”
“By the way, has anyone seen Okate?”
Strange voices, familiar ones, boys’ voices, girls’ voices, cheerful tones, subdued murmurs…
Well, Xuefei hadn’t lied, after all.
Now, she felt a stark divide between herself and the humans and heroes—a chasm so wide that trying to blend in would be laughably absurd, impossible to justify. Hell, it might even be preferable to just bear a thousand Dragon Babies for Leia.
After the Evil Corruption, there was no returning to the way things had been, whether driven by her love for Leia or her hatred for the heroes…
But if kind souls like Celi could claim a perfect ending, wouldn’t that make this Second Playthrough all the more worthwhile?
At times, Xuefei was truly grateful for the chance Leia had given her.
Of course, what she craved even more was to birth a whole clutch of Dragon Babies.
…
In the end, neither of them stepped into the living room. After eavesdropping on a good deal of vital information about the Human Realm, Xuefei decided to withdraw.
Going toe-to-toe with the Gods wasn’t smart. Their aim wasn’t to rack up a body count of divinities—it was to seize the Endless Treasure. And so, she never did learn which team member, just like Okate, had fallen under a God’s possession.
That said, the gleaming golden orb perched atop a nearby portrait in the corridor looked awfully suspicious.
Or perhaps she was simply too attuned to shiny objects. Either way, it had no business being in the Royal Palace of the Snake Demon Country. Short on time, though, Xuefei didn’t dig deeper. She lingered only a few minutes, did who-knows-what, and then slipped out of the palace.
Outside, the chill wind howled on, and the carriage had been waiting patiently. The western horizon had faded to a hazy orange, sunset drawing near.
“Waaah, Sister, you have to come back safe!”
Before departing, Celi’s little sister Beili gazed up at the princess with tearful reluctance.
“I’ll keep my promise, don’t worry~” Celi said, stroking the head of Beili, who had buried herself in her embrace, just like a mother comforting her child.
Since their mother’s death in childhood, Celi, as the elder sister, had always tried to do what she could for her sibling…
At last, she pressed a kiss to Beili’s forehead before letting her go, albeit unwillingly.
Gazing into Beili’s emerald eyes, Celi saw a purity and sparkle that outshone her own.
“Believe in your big sister. I’ll save the Snake Demon Country. I promise you that.”
