《I Pick Up a Evil God Maid after Transmigrating!》 Chapter 1 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Drip! The dark cave was filled with humid air which made breathing difficult. Drip! In the depths of the cave, and through the long and narrow tunnel, sat a bright opening. There was a huge artificial platform in the middle of the mountain with various strange runes drawn on it. And on this platform, a youth was lying on it. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Slowly opening his eyes, Bernal looked around in confusion. Where am I? Bernal struggled to retrieve his memory. As he regained his consciousness gradually, he began to recall everything about himself. I am Bernal, Bernal Nielson, the son of the margrave guarding the western border of the human kingdom of Liluca. Other than that, my secret identity is a transmigrator. Bernal was originally an ordinary earthling from another world who lived an ordinary life. He had lost his life because he had been drawn into a cult ritual. When he woke up, he was born into this world as the son of a margrave. ¡°Oh wait, I remember I was attacked by a monster.¡± Being born to a noble family seemed great, and a margrave¡¯s son sounded stately, sadly this was on the premise that Bernal¡¯s father was an ordinary count. Not a damned margrave. Since he lived at the border, he had to be prepared to be attacked by the monsters from the western forest at any time. ¡°Let¡¯s see, this is the seventh time. I thought that I was really going to die and see my siblings. Can¡¯t believe that I would be so lucky.¡± Bernal was Nielson¡¯s only child, but he was not the firstborn. Before Bernal, four or five children had been born one after another before they died from the demonic creatures. Nielson even remarried three times. Although Bernal had transmigrated, this world was not as blissful as he imagined. In the words of his previous life, this was a fantasy world with swords and magic. Its beauty came with fatal threats. ¡°I wonder how¡¯s it going on Mother¡¯s end?¡± His father was a powerful margrave, so Bernal naturally did not have to worry about his safety. However, it was different for his mother. Bernal looked around and began to observe the platform at his feet. There were lamp stand-like objects in four corners of the platform. Magical stones were flickering with a gentle glow like light bulbs, illuminating the dark cave for Bernal. There were various peculiar words that he could not understand on the platform. The words were pieced together to form something similar to a magic circle, and the center of this magic circle was Bernal. It looked like it was going to hold some strange ritual. ¡°The attack this time is clearly unusual. There were only flying monsters. Someone must be controlling them from behind the scenes.¡± With that thought, Bernal looked into the distance. Beneath the platform was a huge square. At the edge of the square was a lamp stand embedded with magic stones of the same type as the platform. Other than that, there was nothing else down there. Strange, why was there no one here? Bernal was puzzled. He looked at the empty and quiet square in front of him, as doubts rose one after another. Nothing happened after they captured him. Had something unexpected happened? After thinking for quite a while, Bernal shook his head and threw the question to the back of his mind. ¡°Now is not the time to think about this. I have to return home as soon as possible.¡± Despite saying that, Bernal looked at his small arms and legs. He was only three years old now, and he could not do much. Looking at the platform that was about six to seven meters from the ground, Bernal did not think that his three-year-old body could pull it off. Gulp gulp! ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± The peculiar words seemed to come alive as they began to move. They fused like liquid and turned into black mud. The sound that he heard was the bubbling sound of the black mud. Bernal hurriedly backed off and sat on the platform. ¡°This, this, this¡­¡± The magic circle did not make Bernal wait too long. Moments later, tentacles stretched out from the black mud and rushed towards Bernal. What followed closely behind was an even more distorted, terrifying, and shuddering¡­ lady? That¡¯s a woman, right? Bernal was uncertain. The black tentacles behind her female body shook, and underneath her were tentacles that were like octopuses with dense suckers. Her hair, which was swinging wantonly, seemed to have its own consciousness as it transformed into various forms. As for her body, if he were to throw away all those strange things, it would undoubtedly be a perfect and exquisite body. No matter how he looked at it, he could feel the varying style and the exquisite beauty. This was like a work of nature. The proportions were just right wherever he looked, leaving no flaws to be found. However, if he continued to look up, this appreciation for beautiful things would instantly turn into fear. Compared to her perfect body, the female face in front of him did not have any facial features. What replaced it was a hole that was enough to make anyone¡¯s scalp tingle. Large and small holes were distributed irregularly on it. If he focused his attention on these empty holes, it was as if his soul was going to be sucked away. Looking at her as a whole, the stark contrast between her beauty and her strangeness made it impossible to control one¡¯s trembling body. ¡°Who are you?¡± Bernal was not overcome by fear completely. He quickly shifted his gaze and focused it on the lady¡¯s navel. It was the only thing he could look at without fear. This method successfully reduced Bernal¡¯s fear, allowing him to muster the courage to attempt a conversation. It was natural for humans to be afraid of unknown beings. After they saw its true state, no matter how terrifying it was, that fear would reach its peak and that fear would cool down as what was unknown became known. This was the case for Bernal. He even somewhat admired himself when he blurted out the question. The other party seemed to be surprised by Bernal¡¯s reaction. She tilted her head and thought for a moment before a sweet and pleasant voice sounded in Bernal¡¯s mind. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m a Goddess. You can call me Rogeria.¡± ¡°Rogeria, a Goddess?¡± God? Could it be an Evil God? Rogeria floated down and approached Bernal. Strangely, Bernal was not as afraid once he got closer to Rogeria¡¯s terrifying face. Through the dense holes, he thought he could see various fascinating worlds. ¡°How wonderful!¡± ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t good.¡± Noticing Bernal¡¯s state, Rogeria¡¯s face twisted. The colorful and gorgeous world that was as vast as the sea disappeared. When Bernal regained his senses, he felt dizzy and that his head was swelling. ¡°What happened to me?¡± Bernal pressed his hands against his temples, constantly rubbing to ease his pain. His gaze landed on Rogeria¡¯s face again, and those black holes connected to each world had disappeared. What Bernal saw now was an exquisite, perfect, and breathtaking face. At this moment, if he ignored those detestable tentacles, Rogeria was a charming beauty. Whether in the previous world or this world, Bernal swore that he had never seen such a beautiful person. It was stunning, but only for a moment as Bernal quickly returned to normal. He did not feel any more emotions. Logania was indeed beautiful at the moment, but it was nothing compared to the scenery Bernal had just witnessed. Ah, it was so beautiful! While the pain subsided a little, Bernal had a look of reminiscence. Looking at Bernal¡¯s reaction, Rogeria gave an interesting expression. ¡°You¡¯re, an interesting one indeed..¡± Chapter 2 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Monster Forest A group of horsemen came to a stop in the forest, and in front of the leader sat a graceful and elegant lady. This person was Bernal¡¯s father, who was guarding the western border, Moss Nielson. The lady on the same horse as him was Bernal¡¯s biological mother, Eva Nielson, the margrave¡¯s current wife. ¡°Still no sign of Bernal yet?¡± Facing Moss¡¯s question, the subordinates immediately lowered their heads and admitted their mistakes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The knights were ashamed of their incompetence, and a few of the older ones would rather offer their apologies with death. How many times has this happened already? They had once again failed in their duty and caused the margrave to lose his child. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m used to it.¡± Moss glanced at his subordinates and did not probe further. As a child of the Nielson family, he had to be prepared to die at any moment. There was nothing they could have done if something really happened. Moss seemed very calm after losing his child again. As he said, he was already used to this loss. ¡°How long are you going to cry for? It¡¯ll be fine once we have another child.¡± ¡°Boohoo, it¡¯s not that simple. That¡¯s my flesh and blood. How can I abandon my child as easily as you put it?¡± Eva winced as she grieved. She was not Moss. This was still her first child, her flesh and blood. Now that her child¡¯s fate was unknown, as a mother, how could she not be worried? Seeing Eva like this, Moss thought for a moment and gave an order to his subordinates. ¡°Expand the search area and continue searching. If you still find nothing by dusk, retreat.¡± This was the best Moss could do. After dusk, this forest would be in a different state. By then, the danger level would be on a completely different level than during the day. With the current manpower, it was still rather difficult to get out of the forest alive after dusk. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Out of the guilt of failing their duty, no one questioned Moss¡¯s decision. Some people even opened their mouths to say something, but they were stopped with a glare from Moss. ¡°My lord¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anymore. I¡¯ve already lost a child. I don¡¯t want to lose any more of my excellent subordinates.¡± Moss directly interrupted the person¡¯s words. He could not allow more casualties. Excellent subordinates? They should be happy to hear the margrave say that. However, no one present could be joyful. If they heard such praise under normal circumstances, they would definitely be happy and proud. However, they only felt that it was exceptionally jarring and harsh now. How ironic. In order to live up to Moss¡¯ praise, the knights had made up their minds. If they did not find Young Master Bernal, they would never leave even if the sun was setting. If the young master was alive, they would have to bring him back. If the young master was dead, they would have to bring his corpse back. At the very least, they could let his young master return home after his death, rather than being left wandering outside and entering the stomach of another monster after his death. As for Bernal, he did not know anything about what was happening in the outside world. Looking at Rogeria in front of him, Bernal, who had calmed down, began to try to contact and understand her. ¡°So you were summoned here through this ritual, but isn¡¯t there no one else here except for me?¡± The black tentacles behind Rogeria extended forward and wrapped around Bernal¡¯s waist. Without caring about Bernal¡¯s reaction, Rogeria grabbed him in her arms. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± The tentacle was not too forceful, so Bernal did not feel suffocated. But the wet, slippery touch made Bernal uncomfortable, and his hair stood on end. ¡°Ha!¡± Noticing Bernal¡¯s interesting reaction, Rogeria laughed. At this moment, Bernal was like a furious kitten that was extremely adorable. Rogeria controlled her tentacles to hold Bernal in front of her, observing him up close, as if she was deeply interested in Bernal himself. ¡°Hey, what are you looking at? Answer my question now!¡± Bernal twisted his body, but no matter how he struggled, he could not break free from the tentacles. ¡°Heh heh, are you talking about the others? Of course, they were all used as sacrifices and offered to me with this ritual.¡± A tentacle wrapped around Bernal¡¯s arm, and Rogeria controlled his hand to touch her abdomen. ¡°They are all in here now as my food, becoming part of me.¡± ¡°Then I¡­¡± Bernal stopped struggling and looked at Rogeria in surprise, as many of his questions were answered. And I wondered why they brought me here. In the end, they were all dead by the time I woke up.¡± But why am I still alive? Wasn¡¯t I the sacrifice? At the thought of this, Bernal looked at Rogeria with a curious gaze. ¡°Why am I still alive?¡± Regarding this question, Rogeria gave Bernal a surprising answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why it¡¯s interesting. As the sacrificial offering of the ritual, it appears that you survived. However, not a single person who carried out the ritual was left alive. This is the first time I¡¯m seeing such a situation.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t God omniscient?¡± ¡°Yes and no.¡± Rogeria gave an ambiguous answer that puzzled Bernal even more. To that, Rogeria explained, ¡°There are various kinds of gods. Everyone can be considered omniscient and omnipotent in their respective fields, but this is slightly different from the kind you stated.¡± ¡°I guess I understand.¡± Bernal looked pensive. He nodded, trying to digest the information Rogeria had given him. ¡°So why don¡¯t you sign a contract with me?¡± Without waiting for Bernal to respond, Rogeria explained further. ¡°Although I have successfully passed the ritual¡¯s boundary, the sacrifices from this ritual alone are unable to sustain my existence.¡± As she spoke, she controlled one of her tentacles to show it to Bernal. Bernal focused his gaze. The tentacle was different from the other tentacles. Black particles were constantly emitting from it as if they were going to dissipate. ¡°In order to save resources, I have no choice but to move around in this manner. Even so, I can¡¯t stay in this world for too long.¡± ¡°I guess I understand.¡± Bernal rested his chin on his hand and nodded to show that he understood. ¡°What¡¯s your answer then?¡± Rogeria looked at Bernal with some anticipation. If one observed closely, one would be able to notice the rapidly swaying tentacles behind her. It was obvious that Rogeria was not calm at all. Bernal did not think for long before responding. ¡°Sure, I agree.¡± The moment she obtained his agreement, a large number of tentacles rushed toward Bernal from behind and instantly enveloped him. ¡°Very good, let¡¯s get along from now on, Bernal ~¡± Chapter 3 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The darkness was like an endless and bottomless abyss, deep and terrifying. Bernal now had this feeling. He felt that he was sinking continuously in this abyss. His body seemed to be out of control as he constantly did free-fall exercises and kept sinking. He did not know when he could reach the end. As time passed, his body fell faster and faster¡­ Gradually, Bernal felt warm. When he regained his senses, he felt as if his body was burning. So hot¡­ It was really hot! Bernal was conscious. At least, that was what he thought. It felt different from the contract he had imagined. Was it not done yet? If this continued, he felt like he was going to be burnt to ashes. It was such a painful and torturous process, yet Bernal¡¯s reaction seemed unusually calm. ¡°You are indeed an interesting person, Bernal.¡± When the light finally shone again, what appeared in Bernal¡¯s vision was not the beautiful yet ugly, normal yet evil god. Instead, she was an ordinary, beautiful woman. ¡°Rogeria?¡± At this moment, Bernal was in Rogeria¡¯s arms. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. Upon hearing Bernal¡¯s call, Rogeria replied with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Bernal frowned, his tender face revealing a tinge of dissatisfaction as if he was unhappy. Berner¡¯s gaze focused on Rogeria, seemingly searching for something. Unfortunately, no matter how he looked at it, it was only a pair of ordinary, beautiful eyes. ¡°This won¡¯t do. If you look too long, even Bernal will die.¡± Rogeria seemed to know what Bernal was attempting. She put on a serious face and tapped on his forehead. With a tinge of disappointment, Bernal wrapped his arms around Rogeria¡¯s neck and rested his head on her shoulder. ¡°That was quite the suffering just now. I almost thought that I was going to be all burnt up.¡± Recalling the entire process of the contract, Bernal still felt that burning sensation. ¡°Was that really a part of the contract?¡± Rogeria carried Bernal outside. ¡°Yes, not everyone is qualified to sign a contract with a deity. Even if the deity agrees, the contract itself is a test for the contractor.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qualification? That was rather easy to understand. Bernal closed his eyes as he lay his head on Rogeria¡¯s shoulder. Rogeria strolled in the air, bringing Bernal along towards the cave entrance. Seemingly bored, Rogeria asked, ¡°Bernal, aren¡¯t you surprised at all?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°About how I know your name?¡± Regarding this, Bernal casually replied, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a god? Such things should be ordinary to you.¡± ¡°Is that so? But your reaction is really calm.¡± ¡°Most people will be overjoyed when they encounter such a situation.¡± ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t think ordinary people can complete the contract process.¡± The two chatted as they walked. Through the conversation, Bernal gradually learned how to interact with Rogeria. The atmosphere between the two became more harmonious. In the monster forest, Moss¡¯ knights split into different directions. It was a dangerous act, but no one complained because they had made that decision on their own. By increasing the search area further, it could increase the probability of finding Bernal. Even if it was only a small possibility, they did not want to give up. To not let down Moss, who trusted them, they would not give up even if they had to risk their lives. For that, Moss could not stop them even if he wanted to. ¡°Still no sign of him?¡± A middle-aged knight looked at the darkening sky. The sun was no longer visible. ¡°The sun is almost setting.¡± After some thought, the Knight-Captain told his subordinates. ¡°There¡¯s no choice. You all can return first. Tell our lord that I¡¯m staying here to continue searching for Young Master.¡± With that said, his subordinates hurriedly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving either. I want to search for Young Master too.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t find Young Master, I¡¯ll be too ashamed to go back and see our Margrave.¡± Looking at the young faces, Victor berated, ¡°What are all of you talking about? You¡¯re all so young. Don¡¯t be stubborn. Leave this to me.¡± These people had many years ahead of them, and there was no need to stay here and take the risk. But like Old Victor, these people had already made up their minds and were very determined. When they made this decision, they were already prepared to sacrifice themselves and face death. ¡°You people¡­¡± Old Victor was at a loss for words as he looked at his subordinates. Just as everyone thought that Old Victor would agree, he suddenly shouted angrily. ¡°You better know when to stop. Don¡¯t think that sacrifice is a glorious thing. We are the knights of Margrave Moss, the protectors of the border, and the first line of defense to the west of the kingdom. ¡°If we are to all die here, then these missions will be placed on the Earl alone. ¡°Honor and honor, these are worthless in front of the margrave!¡± ¡°But father, what about you?¡± Victor went silent for a moment, then he began to undo his damaged armor. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left. Some of the beasts this time are pretty vicious.¡± As the outermost armor was removed, Victor exposed his bruised body to everyone. The most eye-catching was the wound on his chest. His pinkish-red flesh was exposed, and his pounding heart was faintly visible. If that was all, it would not be threatening enough to feel despair. The truly fatal part was the dense purple or black threads near the wound. As the wound was exposed to the air, the people at the side could smell a faint fishy and rotten smell. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Captain!¡± Several young knights were shocked to see such a frightening wound. ¡°How could this be? Isn¡¯t the mithril armor protecting you?¡± Victor put on the armor that no longer offered much protection, and was now for decorative purposes. ¡°The inscriptions on the armor have been destroyed.¡± His voice was calm as if he was talking about something unimportant. But that was never a small matter. The mithril armor would be reduced to ordinary armor if the defensive magic formation was destroyed. Ordinary silver armor had limited defensive abilities, and it was no different from paper in front of some monsters. Feeling the anxious looks of his subordinates, Victor smiled and comforted them. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. There¡¯s nothing to mind. Death is the most common thing here.¡± Victor had long been indifferent to death. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s not much time left. You guys can go back first. Leave this to me.¡± Just as Victor was about to persuade his subordinates to leave, there was a sudden movement in the surrounding bushes. Swish! Swish! As a veteran knight, Victor immediately raised his sword to warn his men. ¡°Everyone, on guard!¡± Any other matters were left behind as he focused on dealing with the current danger. ¡°Reece, test the boundary.¡± Reece, who had been summoned by Victor, jumped off the horse immediately and checked the area that had been set up at the beginning. Every time they rested, they would immediately set up a protective boundary to conceal their auras and other traces. However, judging from the commotion in the surroundings, there should be a problem with the protection. Reece first went to the first node to check. As expected, the originally filled magic crystal was now empty, having lost its original luster. ¡°This is bad, the magic power in the boundary has disappeared.¡± At this moment, a sharp-eyed knight suddenly caught the figure of a mole in a corner. ¡°It¡¯s Greedy Mole. We have the reason for the disappearance of the barrier.¡± The greedy mole was not afraid after being discovered. Instead, it approached the knights. Other than Greedy Mole, other monsters also sprang out from the grass. ¡°We¡¯re completely surrounded. The situation is getting troublesome.¡± Looking at the surrounding monsters, a tinge of guilt appeared on Victor¡¯s originally calm face. These were unsurprisingly attracted by his wound. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve dragged all of you down.¡± Reece returned to his horse and replied with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t say such things. We¡¯re a team.¡± The other knights smiled as well and consoled Victor. ¡°Even if Father doesn¡¯t have much time left, we won¡¯t abandon you and escape by ourselves.¡± ¡°Yes, we must at least send him off on his last journey.¡± The knights stood in formation, staring at the restless monsters that were about to rush over at any moment. The words of his men were like the winter sun sending warmth down Victor¡¯s heart. ¡°What a bothersome bunch!¡± Victor¡¯s lips curled up, then his expression changed as he looked solemnly at the approaching monsters. ¡°The first wave of attacks is here. Raise your shields!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Silver battle aura burst forth at this moment, joining up with the combining shields of every knight. [Combination Combat Technique: Defense Formation] ¡°Hiss!¡± The first to strike was not the greedy mole at the beginning, but the ferocious three-winged flying serpent. A pungent poisonous fog burst from the tumor on the Three-Winged Flying Snake¡¯s forehead as it collided with the shields. Dang! As three snakes charged from three directions, the barrier formed by the battle aura instantly shrank. [Combination Combat Technique: Defensive Counterattack] The moment it shrank, without any hesitation, the knights used their shields to parry the three-winged serpents away at the same time. Then, the barrier formed by the battle aura spread out at this moment. [Combination Combat Technique: Resistance Halo] The barrier kept spreading in the form of shockwaves while the knights switched from defense to offense, repelling all the invading monsters. [Combination Combat Technique: War Assault] ¡°Charge!¡± These were the operations drilled into the knights through blood and sweat. Never panic when surrounded. Set up the defense and then find an opportunity to charge forward any time. Although most of Victor¡¯s team were very young, everyone had plenty of combat experience. If a newcomer could not adapt and pick up such skills quickly at the border, death is their only option.. Chapter 4 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Is there a need to be so happy?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Rogeria pouted and began to complain, ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve already experienced similar responses 103,700 times.¡± 103,700 times was quite a spectacular number. While Bernal was shocked, he also had an absurd thought. He propped up his arms again and looked at Rogeria. ¡°And then? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s like this every time, where not a single person remains, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s so frustrating. It¡¯s the same result every time that I almost didn¡¯t want to crossover here.¡± Bernal hit the nail on the head. At this moment, Rogeria was complaining to Bernal like a human. ¡°I always come out only for a while. And before I¡¯m done playing I have to leave this world already.¡± 103700 tries. Leaving aside this time, how terrifying is this fellow to fail more than 100,000 times? Through this tiny bit of information, Bernal suddenly had a feeling. He seemed to have signed a contract with an incredible God. It was only at this moment that Bernal realized how terrifying and extraordinary Rogeria was. It was so strange. He knew that this guy was an Evil God, some sort of terrifying existence, but why did he not feel anything at all? Bernal examined Rogeria closely. He suddenly felt that something was being stripped away from his heart bit by bit. At this moment, Rogeria was like an excited girl who was excitedly sharing her joy with Bernal. ¡°So, do you know how happy I was to see you?¡± Rogeria looked at Bernal as if he were a treasure, and the strong emotions in those eyes left Bernal at a loss. ¡°Is that so?¡± Bernal couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He looked away and wrapped his arms around Rogeria¡¯s neck again, resting his head on her shoulder. Rogeria¡¯s pleasant voice rang beside his ear. Rogeria spoke quickly, and it was clear that she was really excited and delighted. ¡°I was really surprised to see you. Even as a god, I haven¡¯t felt that deep touching emotion in my soul in a long time.¡± ¡°But you should have told me from the beginning about the harm of the contract!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to because I¡¯m sure that you can definitely withstand the contract with me.¡± ¡°You have the qualifications. Your potential and your abilities are more terrifying than you think.¡± ¡°Bernal, you are special, very special.¡± ¡°Oh really? Even if you say so, I don¡¯t feel that it¡¯s true.¡± Special? At first, Bernal thought so too. When he first came to this world, as a transmigrator, Bernal was very excited. He thought that he was going to usher in a legendary life that only belonged to him. Like the main characters in those movies that he had seen in the past. Special adventures in another world, but that was not the case for him. He originally thought that he would have some kind of powerful talent, but when he was one year old, reality gave him a painful blow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Margrave, but Young Master Bernal does not have the talent and potential to become a mage.¡± The old mage who had tested Bernal¡¯s potential back then lingered in his ears. ¡°To be honest, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen an example like Young Master Bernal. He clearly has strong mental strength, but¡­¡± When the old mage first tested Bernal¡¯s mental strength, he was shocked and happy to see the results. Bernal was the same as he knew that he was destined to live an extraordinary life. However, the final outcome disappointed everyone. No matter how hard Bernal tried, he could not sense the elements floating in the air. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Bernal, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± That day, Bernal¡¯s mother hugged him all night and kept apologizing. It was not until later that Bernal found out that his mother, Eva, was attacked by monsters when she was pregnant. He was born prematurely. Hence his physique was innately weaker than others. Therefore, Eva blamed herself for Bernal¡¯s inability to sense elements. It was then that Bernal realized that he had only one path to take from the beginning. That door was closed now. Bernal was destined to only live as an ordinary young noble. Coming back from his memories, Bernal did not resonate with what Rogeria had said. This might be what people often said: human grief and joy are not interlinked. Bernal did not understand why Rogeria was so excited. Aren¡¯t you a god? Why do you act like a child? In Bernal¡¯s impression, God should be more dignified and rational. However, that was not the case at all. Maybe because she is an Evil God? ¡°We¡¯re outside.¡± After some time, Bernal heard the sound of the rustling leaves again. Rogeria¡¯s voice rang at the same time. Bernal opened his eyes and looked up at the sky. ¡°It¡¯s already dark.¡± ¡°Hmm, the moon in this world is really pretty!¡± Rogeria remarked as her words filled with revel and praise. ¡°So this is how it feels to look at the moon from the ground?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the moon in all those summonings?¡± Bernal could not understand why Rogeria was so touched at this moment. ¡°There¡¯s more than one world. Haven¡¯t you seen it yourself?¡± Rogeria gave Bernal a look. Countless stars reflected in her right eye before disappearing a moment later. This fleeting scene fascinated Bernal instantly. The desire for knowledge was written all over Bernal¡¯s face, but Rogeria did not intend to satisfy him. ¡°This won¡¯t do. Something bad will happen if you look at it too much. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to my contractor that I finally managed to encounter.¡± ¡°Humph.¡± Bernal turned his head away unhappily, like a child who did not get a toy. At this moment, a series of footsteps sounded from afar, attracting their attention. They looked in that direction. He could vaguely see silver-armored knights through the trees. ¡°Ta Ta Ta!¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably the knights sent to look for me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Bernal looked at the side of Rogeria¡¯s face questionably. The smile on her face was very subtle, and this reaction gave Bernal a bad feeling. He hurriedly turned his head to look into the distance, and at this moment, the familiar sound of air bubbles sounded in his ear. Gulp gulp! Chapter 5 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gulp gulp! With Rogeria as the center, a black and viscous liquid began to spread. ¡°Hey, those are my father¡¯s knights. They¡¯re on our side. You better watch it.¡± ¡°Look carefully. What are those?¡± Bernal looked up at the knights. As the knights approached, the moonlight shone on their faces. Bernal finally noticed something strange. Veins were bulging on their faces, and they seemed to be in great pain, looking savage and terrifying. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± Rogeria looked up and sniffed, then explained to Bernal, ¡°They¡¯re infected. It¡¯s so ugly. It¡¯s the smell of rotten souls.¡± ¡°Uncle Victor¡­¡± The knight in the lead was no stranger to Bernal, and he looked a little sorrowful. In his memories, this uncle always had a smile on his face and was very friendly to everyone. He was a great person. Bernal looked at Rogeria and asked, ¡°Can it be treated?¡± ¡°This mutation starts from the soul and changes together.¡± Rogeria did not answer this question directly, only explaining the severity of the situation to Bernal. Her words were meant to make Bernal mentally prepared to lose them. However, Bernal did not buy it. He looked into Rogeria¡¯s eyes and said with certainty, ¡°But to a god, it should be a piece of cake.¡± Bernal did not give Rogeria a chance to refute as he continued, ¡°God is omniscient and omnipotent in his own domain, that is what you said, Rogeria.¡± Bernal¡¯s tone was very assertive. If one looked closely, one would see that Bernal¡¯s pupils were not round but were beginning to become irregular. ¡°How surprising. In such a short time, you have already begun to understand my essence?¡± Rogeria was slightly surprised. Then, she hugged Bernal tightly and rubbed her face against his head to express her joy and affection. ¡°It seems like the two of us are quite compatible.¡± Bernal pushed Rogeria away in disdain, then pointed at Victor and said, ¡°Alright, quickly go and save them.¡± Rogeria did not act immediately. Instead, she looked at Bernal with a strange expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Is Bernal taking it for granted?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a God. Even as my contractor, even if I fancy you, such a commanding tone will still make me moody.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So I¡­¡± ¡°Shut up and go.¡± His twisted pupils turned into a cross at this moment as he stared at Rogeria, and she subconsciously closed her mouth. What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t we just sign a contract? How did it become like this?¡± Rogeria looked at the serious-looking Bernal in disbelief, and her body began to move uncontrollably. A dark wave spread out to welcome the charging knights. The moment they contacted, the waves surged and enveloped them before the knights could react. Facing the sudden wave, the knights did not sit still. [Combination Combat Technique: Defensive Counterattack] A silver battle energy shield condensed in front of them in an attempt to block the advance of the wave. However, how could the means of a mortal affect a god? It could not even be considered a defense as the wave engulfed the shield together with the men instantaneously. As the knights disappeared, the monsters behind them became exposed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect so many little cuties.¡± Rogeria was not in such a pretty mood as she was previously. She was rather emotional when forced to do something that she was not very willing to do. The waves surged, and then a flock of tentacles appeared. Like lightning, the agile black tentacles rapidly penetrated the bodies of these monsters. Right on the heels of that, tentacles that were like octopus tentacles filled with serrated suction cups surged out of the black sea and pulled all its prey into the water. Gulp gulp! The beast tide, which the knights could do nothing about and could only flee even after mutation, was easily taken down in less than one exchange in front of Rogeria. After dealing with these monsters, Rogeria smiled again. She looked at Bernal with an aggrieved look. ¡°This is too much. If this happens again, I¡¯m really going to be angry.¡± It seemed like a joke, but Bernal, who had signed the contract with Rogeria, did not take it lightly. However, he did not care about such things. His cross-shaped pupils did not return to their original state. Bernal tilted his head and continued looking at Rogeria. Bernal only used these eyes to look at Rogeria silently without any emotion on his face. The cross-shaped pupils slowly rotated in Bernal¡¯s eyes, causing Rogeria to feel a strong binding force on her. Sensing this binding force, Rogeria seemed to frown helplessly. ¡°This is strange. I should be the one in charge under contract. Why are you the one in charge now?¡± Rogeria acted as if she was a doting sister who could not do anything about her brother. ¡°You are indeed an interesting person, Bernal.¡± Behind her, a black tide surged, then a knight was brought into the air by the tentacles. This knight was none other than Uncle Victor that Bernal was most familiar with. ¡°Oh, my little Bernal, that¡¯s the end of your unruly behavior. Although I¡¯m a little surprised, I¡¯ll get angry if you continue.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± A painful wail came from Victor. It was not from his body but the depths of his soul. Bernal¡¯s expression finally changed. The cross-shaped pupils also stopped moving at this moment. Bernal looked past Rogeria and landed on Victor, who was behind her. When Bernal looked at Rogeria again, she had already put on an innocent and aggrieved expression. The aura on Bernal¡¯s side immediately weakened. The cross-shaped pupils in his eyes began to blur as if it was about to return to its original form. Its effect was most felt by Rogeria as the binding force on her decreased significantly. ¡°There we go, Bernal.¡± Rogeria stroked Bernal¡¯s head dotingly and said affectionately, ¡°The mysterious and lovely Bernal is my favorite, so let me see more of your sad expressions!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± With a sharp cry, Victor¡¯s scream abruptly stopped when it reached its peak. ¡°Uncle Victor!¡± Bernal could not hold back his expression anymore. His pupils, which were about to recover to their original state, turned into crosses again, and they kept expanding as if they were going to divide Bernal¡¯s eyes into four. The eyes of the cross reflected Rogeria¡¯s pleasant smile. This guy is indeed an evil god. Bernal thought with certainty.. Chapter 6 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your Uncle Victor isn¡¯t dead, okay~¡± After she said that, she could not help but retract her body as if she were bound by something. ¡°Brutal guy, you don¡¯t really think that this will work on me, do you?¡± Bernal instantly understood. The other party was an evil god that seemed to be in control but who really knew who was actually in control? In the end, his current power was only obtained from the other party through the contract. Their powers came from the same source. Something in Bernal¡¯s mind snapped in an instant, and the pupil of the cross transformed into the shape of a crown under Rogeria¡¯s surprised gaze. The next moment, Bernal¡¯s vision turned dark, and he fainted on Rogeria¡¯s shoulder. Rogeria watched Bernal¡¯s profile quietly. She no longer knew how to describe the excitement and joy in her heart. ¡°Praise the Great God¡ª¡± She began to dance in the forest while humming a nameless song. The disorderly and chaotic syllables reverberated through the entire forest. The black waves disappeared at this moment, and the surrounding trees and plants began to wither. At the same time, the branches began to twist slowly. Ka ka ka! In the sky, the bright and holy moon was gradually cast in a shadow. The entire Monster Forest fell silent at that moment, except for Rogeria¡¯s song. ¡°Margrave, we have lost contact with Victor¡¯s team.¡± ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s not wait for them. Retreat!¡± Moss¡¯ expression did not change as he replied indifferently. ¡°But¡­¡± One of the subordinates hesitated to speak. ¡°This is an order.¡± Margrave Moss did not allow for anyone to doubt or refute him, as his tone was unyielding. Upon seeing this, their subordinates lowered their heads in sorrow. They returned to the formation and followed Moss on the way back. ¡°Oh Bernal, my Bernal~¡± Eva had long prepared for this situation, but she could no longer hold back her tears. ¡°Boohoo ~¡± Her red eyes were already beginning to swell. Moss looked at his wife but did not say anything. He only hugged her tighter. He was indeed used to such mishaps, but it did not mean that he was not afraid. Moss had high hopes for every child. It was the same for Bernal, who had average talent. He loved his children, but he was not good at showing it. Forgive me, child. This is the destiny of being born into the Nielsons. With a deep breath, he pulled himself together quickly. He led the team to turn around and retreat, but something unexpected happened. The scarlet fog filled with the smell of blood spread out from the forest. In the fog, one could faintly see some black particles floating. Upon realizing that something was amiss, Moss immediately activated his combat aura to envelop the entire team. Upon seeing Moss¡¯s action, the men immediately snapped to their senses. They pulled out their weapons and activated their combat aura. [Legion Combat Technique: Sacred Shield] Unlike a combination combat technique, a legion combat technique requires a human to control all the energy. The others were acting like ¡®power banks¡¯ that directed energy into this person. The golden barrier enveloped Moss and company, blocking the strange fog outside. However, this strange fog was only the beginning. Strange-looking monsters ran out of the forest one after another, initiating a charge outside. These monsters did not have a specific target. They pounced on whoever they met and then bit on it relentlessly. ¡°They¡¯re all monsters I¡¯ve never seen before. Be careful, everyone!¡± When Moss saw these monsters, he immediately signaled for his men to be careful and not to be careless. Immediately following that, with a wave of Moss¡¯ hand, all the troops formed a huge triangle. They were about to charge. ¡°The situation is bad. Where did these monsters come from?¡± As one of the corners of the triangle, Moss broke through according to the plan. While breaking through the siege, he did not forget to leave a mark. Even if the chances of survival were not high, he still hoped that his child could be safe in a certain place in the forest. Then, he might coincidentally see the mark they had made and follow it back to his side. It was the best he could do. The threat of deformed monsters, twisted trees, and demonic forests increased. Moss was fortunate enough to witness the entire process of a tree mutation. It was a situation he had never seen before. ¡°What exactly is happening in the forest?¡± Retracting his gaze, Moss controlled the combat aura of the entire army as he began heading for the city. Behind him were a large number of crazy mutated monsters. ¡°Have they gone completely mad?¡± Margrave Moss turned his head and said to his deputy, Aaron, ¡°Go back to the city and inform the guards about the situation here. Tell them to prepare to defend the city.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Aaron nodded and flicked the reins. [Combat Skill: God Speed] Massive battle energy poured into Aaron and the horse beneath him. The next moment, Aaron¡¯s figure led Moss by a few body lengths. Following that, the gap widened more and more. In the blink of an eye, Moss could only see a tiny figure disappearing in front. Hope he¡¯ll make it in time! Moss looked at the dark mass of monsters behind him with a heavy heart. He wondered if he could hold the line this time. Dang! Dang! Ripples appeared on the golden sacred shield. Several flying monsters were hitting their shields incessantly. The Sacred Shield was on the verge of collapse as if it was going to break at any moment. ¡°Ha!¡± Moss shouted as more combat aura flowed out of his body. At the same time, the other knights were coordinated and instilled their battle aura. The godspeed earlier had consumed a lot of energy, affecting the defense of the entire shield. With more support, the shield stabilized. ¡°Everyone, hurry up!¡± A few monsters who thought that they were about to break the shield were agitated. After realizing that they could no longer break the shield, the monsters jumped around in the air angrily and let out screeching noises. ¡°Ow ow ow¡ª¡± ¡°Even in this state, they still retained some sanity?¡± Ever since these monsters appeared, Moss had not stopped observing them. ¡°This is really bad..¡± Chapter 7 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°What happened to me?¡± When Bernal opened his eyes, the world seemed to have changed. ¡°Are you awake?¡± A gentle voice sounded in Bernal¡¯s ear. Bernal was not fully awake yet, and his consciousness was still unclear. He held up his head and asked in the direction of the voice, ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Looks like you haven¡¯t fully recovered. I¡¯ve never seen such a willful young master!¡± The frivolous tone made Bernal subconsciously frown. He vaguely felt that something was wrong. ¡°Mm?¡± When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Rogeria¡¯s beautiful face. It was a beauty too great to belong to this world, a beauty sufficient to make anyone dote and love. However, Bernal was not one of them. Having seen Rogeria¡¯s true appearance, Bernal was already immune to her bewitching charm. Placing both hands on his temples, Bernal tried to clear his mind. He looked around, his eyes filled with familiar scenes. It was the place that he had lived in for three years. How could he not be familiar with it? So he was already home. With this thought, Bernal subconsciously sighed in relief. He then relaxed and collapsed on his bed. Feeling the familiar softness beneath him, Bernal wanted to continue sleeping. Hold up. There must be something wrong! As soon as he closed his eyes, Bernal opened them again and looked at Rogeria. His eyes darted back and forth on Rogeria. Seeing that Bernal was looking at her, Rogeria walked backward happily and posed in front of him. ¡°How is it?¡± At this moment, Bernal was very familiar with the clothes of Rogeria. He could see them every day before he was attacked by monsters. It was a modified maid costume for functionality with a classic combination of white and black while maintaining its original beauty. It was the dedicated dress for the Nielson family¡¯s maid servants. ¡°What¡¯s with your outfit?¡± Bernal looked at Rogeria in surprise and sat up again. ¡°How is it? Do you like it, Young Master Bernal?¡± Opening her mouth to show off, Rogeria turned around to show off her dress. ¡°It¡¯s alright, but¡­ a crown?¡± Bernal looked up and down, and he paused for a moment when his gaze landed on Rogeria¡¯s head. ¡°A maid with a crown seems a little strange.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Rogeria touched her crown as if she liked it. ¡°I think it¡¯s alright.¡± Bernal was not interested in wrangling about the crown. ¡°Speaking of which, where are my parents? ¡°How did I faint? What happened after I fainted?¡± One question after another was thrown out by Bernal while Rogeria looked at him in distress. ¡°You¡¯re asking too many questions at once. How am I supposed to answer?¡± ¡°Then answer them one by one.¡± ¡°Never mind, since it¡¯s my lovely Bernal¡¯s request, I¡¯ll satisfy your wish.¡± As soon as she said that, Bernal saw Rogeria¡¯s face begin to twist and twitch, and he immediately had a bad feeling. The premonition was instantly confirmed. In the span of a breath, two identical, sexy, and alluring lips appeared on Rogeria¡¯s face. ¡°Your parents are safe and sound!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know how you fainted?¡± ¡°What happened after you fainted? Many things happened, but they were all resolved.¡± Rogeria said the three sentences together instantaneously, and the combination made it seem chaotic. Even though Rogeria¡¯s voice was pleasant, it would still make one frown as it sounded clamorous. ¡°Shut up. Tell me one by one.¡± ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t say anything else. Should I inform my parents that I woke up?¡± Rogeria pointed to her three closed mouths, then looked at Bernal innocently. What a headache! Pressing his thumb on his nose, Bernal urged impatiently, ¡°Get a new mouth to speak to me.¡± A new mouth appeared on Rogeria¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed them.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the door suddenly opened, and then a fancy lady holding her skirt rushed in. ¡°Bernal, you¡¯re awake!¡± Bernard looked at his mother excitedly. It was great that his mother was fine. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°This is great. It¡¯s so wonderful.¡± Eva grabbed Bernal in her arms, her tears falling uncontrollably. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you safe.¡± Bernal froze as if he had been electrocuted while Eva hugged him tightly. In an instant, he felt extremely uncomfortable, as if he was in a swamp. His movements were slow, and at the same time, it was as if the organs in his body were shifting uncomfortably. However, this feeling was sudden and disappeared very quickly. Bernal quickly returned to normal. As he returned to his senses, Bernal looked at Rogeria at the first moment. The other party signaled with his expression to let Rogeria restore her mouth. ¡°Mother, I only returned safely because of Rogeria.¡± As he spoke, Bernal looked at Rogeria gratefully. It was no act. He was really grateful to Rogeria. After all, without Rogeria, he might have died in that cave. Eva also came to her senses. She switched from hugging to carrying, then turned to look at Rogeria, who had returned to normal. ¡°Thank you so much, Miss Rogeria.¡± As she spoke, Eva rubbed Bernal¡¯s head with lingering fear. ¡°I would have lost my child if it weren¡¯t for your help this time.¡± As she spoke, Eva looked at the female servant. The more she looked at her, the more she liked her. ¡°Miss Rogeria, you might as well not be a maid anymore. Why don¡¯t you become Bernal¡¯s fianc¨¦e!¡± Bernal looked at his mother in shock, but he did not say anything. Come to think of it, Bernal was also puzzled as to why Rogeria was pretending to be a maid. But¡­ fianc¨¦e? It was fascinating to have an Evil God as his fianc¨¦e! ¡°Really? I¡¯ve always admired and liked Young Master Bernal.¡± He looked at Rogeria¡¯s uncontrollable excitement, her shy expression, and her ecstatic manner. Bernal did not feel happy. Instead, he felt that something was wrong. What is going on? Everything looks normal, but why did it feel so strange? No! It isn¡¯t normal! Nothing here is normal! Chapter 8 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Bernal?¡± Sensing Bernal¡¯s reaction, Eva lowered her head and looked at Bernal, who seemed to be searching for something. ¡°Is there anything wrong?¡± Bernal looked at his mother and shook his head, looking confused. Is it my imagination? Suddenly, Bernal seemed to have noticed something. He looked at the door, and a familiar figure stood by it. It was his father, Moss Nelson. ¡°Father.¡± Moss nodded as a response, but he did not say anything else. He just looked at him. He seemed to be expressing his concern in this manner. There¡¯s something amiss! My father would never look at me for so long! This feels too formal. This is not something my father would do. Father was always so cold. All his time had been spent on work every day. He had no interest in anything that had nothing to do with his job. But I know that was only on the surface. His father loved his mother very much, and he would remember every word his mother had said. Once, his mother had only complained that the flowers in the garden were too monotonous. The next day, his father brought several types of flowers to his mother. Although his mother became even angrier in the end, Bernal knew that his mother smiled happily after that. Bernal remembered that on the day of the magic potential test, he sat in the corner alone in disappointment when his father appeared beside him suddenly. ¡°How was it today?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± That could be considered their first interaction. Bernal was shocked at the time because it was the first time that his father had spoken to him. It was the first time since his birth. As a transmigrator, Bernal even remembered his babyhood clearly. Therefore, Bernal was really surprised. Facing Bernal¡¯s reaction, Moss was clearly not used to it. In the end, he left without waiting for Bernal¡¯s response. The back of his father, who seemed to have fled in defeat, was forever remembered in the depths of his memories. From that moment on, Bernal understood that his father was not without feelings, but he was not good at expressing them. He might just be afraid of showing affection because he had already lost too much. In reality, his father was extremely meticulous. Care was one thing, love was another. Yet, his father would never do anything formal. He would always carry out his responsibilities silently. Just like how he showed some concern about him back then, Bernal¡¯s father left right after seeing that he was not too upset. Therefore, there must be something wrong here, because his real father would not even appear in front of him. Looking at his father staring at him from the door, Bernal could sense his undisguised concern. All of a sudden, a nauseous feeling overwhelmed him. Crack! As this thought appeared in Bernal¡¯s mind, the surrounding scenery seemed to freeze. Then, the scene in his vision began to shrink. Before he knew it, Bernal found himself in a dark red space. The scene from before was like a painting floating in the air. At this moment, the painting was like glass with cracks appearing on it. Bernal reached out a finger and gently tapped it. Clatter! The painting broke into pieces and disappeared. A black hole replaced the position of the painting, and a powerful suction burst out from it, sucking Bernal indirectly. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake.¡± Rogeria felt the movement in her arms and looked down at Bernal. Bernal was not in a good state at the moment. His right eye had turned into a hole, and fresh blood was constantly flowing out. The left eye did not disappear, but the entire eye lens was shattered. The large cross-shaped opening was especially frightening, and the insides could be seen from the side of the eye. A piercing pain came from Bernal¡¯s eyes. However, Bernal did not cry out. After all, he was not a real three-year-old. When Bernal felt the pain, his expression returned to normal except for the initial twitch. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Even though Bernal tried his best to remain calm, the excessive pain and the darkness in his vision made his voice tremble. He was afraid. On second thought, he had indeed become overconfident and lost himself in the power that he had suddenly obtained. Rogeria¡¯s contract was impartially equal and binding. As long as Bernal wanted to, he could use the contract¡¯s power to restrain Rogeria. Not only that, but he could also obtain Rogeria¡¯s power through the contract. It was the most tempting poison for a Bernal who craved power. It was addictive However¡­ ¡°The power of a god is not that easy to use. Still, I¡¯m quite surprised that you didn¡¯t die immediately after overusing my power soon after signing the contract.¡± Rogeria caressed Bernal¡¯s face, and the blood dripping from the corner of his eye disappeared the moment it touched her finger. She shifted her finger up and forcefully pressed it into Bernal¡¯s eye socket. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Bernal could not help but groan in pain when he got attacked suddenly. However, it was as if Bernal could withstand the pain. Soon, he adapted to the provocation from Rogeria, and his grimace disappeared. ¡°Really? It¡¯s awful, but not too bad.¡± Bernal¡¯s calm reaction made Rogeria apply more force in her fingers, to the point that she jabbed them in. Although, this time, Bernal did not cry out. Bernal moved. He looked up at Rogeria, whose fingers were still inside his eye sockets. However, Bernal did not even frown. ¡°Stop playing around. You better stop my bleeding. If I die, you¡¯ll have to get lost.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can find a better contractor than me.¡± Upon hearing this, Rogeria immediately withdrew her finger. At the same time, Bernal used the contract and Rogeria¡¯s power again. The feeling of invincibility returned, making Bernal feel much more at ease. As long as he controlled the extent of the power well, nothing would happen. Bernal was not as reckless as before. He was very cautious as he used Rogeria¡¯s power to heal his body. Gulp gulp! A dark wave surfaced again, but it was not Rogeria who summoned it this time. It was Bernal. ¡°You¡¯ve already familiarized yourself with it?¡± Rogeria watched all of this with great interest. Her look towards Bernal became abnormally fervent and infatuated.. Chapter 9 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Dark waves surged as black tentacles transformed into sharp spears that stabbed at the surrounding trees. Any life form pierced by the tentacles would rapidly wither up in a short time. At the same time, after absorbing the life essence of these life forms, Bernal¡¯s eyes began to reconstruct and heal. ¡°Well, that hurts.¡± Soon, Bernal¡¯s eyes healed. As he opened them, the light shone into his world again. The muscles of Bernal¡¯s right hand tightened and then he quickly grabbed the two fingers in front of him. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Facing Bernal¡¯s question, Rogeria replied naturally, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. This is the first time that little Bernal has reconstructed his eyes. So, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s meaningful and valuable for collection?¡± ¡°Meaning and value are bestowed. Anything can become meaningful as long as you believe it.¡± Bernal shook off Rogeria¡¯s fingers coldly and met her beautiful eyes. ¡°From now on, I can¡¯t let you act so recklessly.¡± After calming down, Bernal¡¯s tone and attitude were not as domineering and arrogant as before. Still, he could not bring himself to be nicer to Rogeria. Gulp gulp! A pinkish meatball floated up from the black tide, and it was beating like a heart. Lub-dub! Lub-dub! ¡°It¡¯s not complete yet. It¡¯ll take some time to recover.¡± Rogeria did not even look at the appearing meatball. Her eyes were fixed on Bernal¡¯s face the entire time. Bernal ignored Rogeria. He looked at the meatball in sorrow. Uncle Victor, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. Due to his arrogance, Rogeria used Victor to vent her dissatisfaction. Bernal felt extremely guilty. However, some things could not be fixed if they had already happened. Bernal took a final look at Victor before he controlled the black tide to suck Victor back in. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you going to look at your Uncle Victor?¡± Rogeria leaned her head closer to Bernal¡¯s face, trying to be intimate with him. However, Bernal pushed her back mercilessly. Seeing Bernal like this, Rogeria assumed that he was still reluctant to be nicer to her because of Victor. Therefore, Rogeria smiled and comforted Bernal. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t kill him when I say I won¡¯t.¡± Whoosh! The calm black waters suddenly surged, raising huge waves. Rogeria¡¯s mouth fell open as she seemed surprised. The black sea was her domain. Even if Bernal obtained the right to use it, everything that happened in it should not escape Rogeria¡¯s control. Bernal had just personally destroyed Victor¡¯s meatball and ended his life. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a need to look so shocked?¡± As if he were talking about an insignificant matter, Bernal¡¯s sense of loss worsened. Seeing Bernal¡¯s reaction, Rogeria¡¯s surprise transformed into enjoyment. ¡°Ah, you got me.¡± Not killing him did not mean that the recovered Victor would ever be the same. Not to mention that merely maintaining life could mean immortality, which would give Rogeria plenty of room to maneuver. Bernard had pulled Victor out to check on his situation. In the end, it was no different from what he had imagined. Victor¡¯s soul and body had severely mutated, and his original consciousness had twisted into chaos. It was a fundamental transformation, the result of Rogeria¡¯s power. It was impossible to restore it with Bernal¡¯s ability. ¡°You¡¯ve already guessed to this extent. There¡¯s no surprise at all. How boring.¡± At this moment, there was no anger in Bernal¡¯s tone. On the contrary, when he said this, his voice was filled with disappointment and dreary. ¡°¡­¡± Boring? No surprise at all? Rogeria fell silent, while Bernal¡¯s disappointed face was reflected in her amethyst-like eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like the upcoming show.¡± The dark crown reappeared in Bernal¡¯s eyes as he looked in the direction of his home. He knew what Rogeria was talking about, but he was not interested. After the first experience, the crown appeared in only one of Bernal¡¯s eyes as he controlled his power. ¡°Have you sensed it?¡± Rogeria, who got ignored, was not discouraged as her face filled with anticipation and curiosity. Let us see Bernal. What will you do in such a situation? With the support of Rogeria¡¯s power, Bernal had a clear view of the situation of his hometown, Rockevas. A vast number of deformed monsters were approaching Bernal¡¯s hometown in droves, and Rockevas was in grave danger. ¡°Quick! Raise your shields and repel these monsters!¡± Bernal heard the shouts of the soldiers, the roars of the monsters, and the sounds of the tumbling city walls. ¡°It seems like things aren¡¯t looking too good. If you don¡¯t act now, your Rockevas will fall.¡± Rogeria¡¯s gloating voice sounded in his ear, and Bernal¡¯s fluctuating emotions stabilized again. He glanced at Rogeria, then reached out and clenched his fist in Rockevas¡¯s direction. The power of a god, even if it was only a borrowed portion, could unleash effects far beyond the imagination of ordinary people. In the blink of an eye, the world around them transformed. Soon after, Bernal and Rogeria arrived in a dark space. Bernal broke free from Rogeria¡¯s arms. At the same time, the entire space lit up, and a gorgeous starry sky surrounded the two of them. Immediately after that, a black and white chessboard appeared between Bernal and Rogeria, with 16 pieces on each side. International Chess was a hobby of Bernal¡¯s in the previous world. Though his chess skills were not outstanding, and that he usually lost more than he won. Sitting down across from Rogeria, Bernal gestured at her. ¡°Let¡¯s play one round. I won¡¯t let you get bored.¡± ¡°How could I be bored? As long as you¡¯re by my side, I won¡¯t be bored.¡± Bernal glanced at Rogeria. Because of the contract, they could interact spiritually. Therefore, he could sense that Rogeria was sincere when she said that. However, she was still an evil god, and Bernal did not know how valuable feelings were to gods. ¡°The game begins.¡± Bernal¡¯s calm voice reverberated in the air. In the next moment, the chessboard in front of them transformed drastically. Landscapes and terrains appeared on the ordinary black and white chessboard as if it was the real world. The terrain on Rogeria¡¯s side was a forest and a plain, with the city wall in the middle. Meanwhile, Bernal¡¯s side was his hometown, Rockevas. The chess pieces had become monsters and warriors in the real world.. Chapter 10 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The chessboard is the battlefield. It seemed like a game, but everything in it existed in the real world. Whatever happened on the chessboard would reflect upon the reality. As the players of the game, Rogeria and Bernal would have to use their own means to interfere in the battle and obtain victory for their camp. ¡°Bernal, I¡¯m so excited. I¡¯m so fortunate to get to meet you.¡± Rogeria looked at Bernal excitedly as she tapped on a four-legged monster. The four-legged monster that Rogeria tapped on suddenly changed its direction and began to move according to Rogeria¡¯s will. ¡°Me too. I¡¯m grateful to have you here.¡± When it was Bernal¡¯s round, he placed his hand on a soldier on his side. There was no falsehood in this sentence. He felt sorrowful for Victor. However, Bernal did not ignore the fact that Rogeria had saved his life. ¡­ In the real world, the chosen four-legged demon suddenly stopped its rampage and began to charge purposefully towards a fence. The four-legged demonic creature was ferocious. As it ran, its body transformed suddenly. The skin on its body burst abruptly, revealing blood-red muscles. After shedding its skin, the momentum of this four-legged rhinoceros-like creature increased, boosting its speed. ¡°Captain, over there! They¡¯re coming over this side!¡± The captain of Squad 3, Lofini, looked over at the demon. He made a prompt decision and gave his order. ¡°Release your combat aura! The first wave is coming!¡± ¡°Yes, captain!¡± [Combat Skill: Aura Shield] [Combat Skill: Warcry] Behind the fence, the soldiers preparing to defend looked at death calmly as they raised the weapons in their hands with determination. A pale silver, nearly transparent battle aura burst forth from their bodies. The fence might be made of wood, but it was a device specifically for city defense. It was no ordinary fence. It was made from the unique local purple jade wood of Rockevas. The purple jade wood was cut and processed from the Purple Jade Tree. The Purple Jade Tree was known for its purple leaves. The leaves seemed to have the texture of jade. In comparison, the tree itself seemed ordinary. However, what was truly valuable about the tree was not its extraordinary and beautiful leaves but its ordinary-looking trunk. The wood of the Purple Jade Tree possessed excellent magic conductivity, and it was very suitable to be processed and manufactured into various magic tools. At that moment, the defensive fence made of purple jade wood triggered a special light. The magic circles engraved on it began to operate after sensing the stimulation of the combat aura. Under the amplification of the defensive fence, an energy wall blocked off the muscular rhinoceros. Boom! At this moment, the soldier who had released the [Combat Skill: Warcry] previously appeared below the head of the muscular rhinoceros under Bethany¡¯s surprised gaze. [Combat Skill: First Quarter Moon] The standard longsword became covered in a silvery-white light at this moment. The soldier made an upward flick from the bottom. The sword tip stabbed into the muscular rhinoceros¡¯ chin. The seemingly tough muscles got easily penetrated by the soldier. Blood flowed out of the wound instantly. Sizzle¡ª ¡°Arghhh!¡± A painful groan sounded from the soldier¡¯s mouth, but he did not let go of his weapon. [Combat Skill: Moonlight Slash] Silver light shone brightly. The soldier endured the pain in his body and kept instilling his battle aura into the sword in his hand. The crescent-shaped slash flew out of the sword with the soldier¡¯s swing and left wounds on the rhinoceros demon¡¯s body. Roar! Roar! The rhinoceros moaned in pain. There were even tears in the corners of its eyes, and a tinge of clarity flashed through them. Because of the pain, the muscular rhinoceros¡¯ consciousness broke free from its chaos. Just as the muscular rhino was about to retreat in fear, a voice rang in its ear. ¡°Good boy. Now is not the time to fall!¡± Whoosh! The blood that seeped out from beneath its muscles ignited suddenly. The temperature rose, and the air became scorching hot. The soldier sensed that something was wrong, but it was too late to react. The muscular rhinoceros¡¯ bloody flame ignited the soldier instantly. ¡°Max!¡± Lofini¡¯s eyes widened in grief. However, no matter how he shouted, the soldier named Max did not respond. The flames on his body were not ordinary flames. After Max was ignited, he stopped breathing. Thud! The rhinoceros shook its head and threw Max, who was beside it, to the ground. Looking at Max, who was lying motionlessly on the ground, Lofini was emotional and subconsciously wanted to go out. ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°Captain, stay calm!¡± Two nimble subordinates beside him quickly reached out to stop the raging Lofini. Hearing his men, Lofini calmed down quickly. When he returned to his senses, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s normal to feel angry at my men¡¯s death, but why am I so impulsive? This doesn¡¯t sound like me at all! Plus, Max¡¯s actions were too strange. Why did he rush out all of the sudden? And those combat skills that he had not seen before, since when did Mace become so strong? Despite many unanswered questions, there was no time for him to think much about them in the current situation. Looking at the muscular rhinoceros not far away, Lofinni directed his combat aura into the defense fence. The high-walled barrier released by the fence became more sturdy. After doing all of this, Lofinni did not look at the muscular rhinoceros immediately. Instead, he observed his surroundings and suddenly realized that the other monsters had consciously avoided his side. It was as if to create a space for them to fight. What is going on? At this moment, the muscular rhinoceros seemed to be wearing a suit of flame armor, as if it came out of hell. Its appearance was hugely intimidating. ¡°I¡¯ll provide a distraction later. You guys flank the monsters from both sides.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Lofini could tell the hesitation among his men, and he expressed his understanding. Such an order would have been foolish in other times, as maintaining the status quo was the best choice. However, since the other monsters were avoiding their side, a flanking maneuver became possible at the time. It was the reason why Lofini dared to issue such an order. He admitted that he was taking a gamble, but considering the mutation in the muscular rhinoceros, he was afraid that it would become more powerful if the battle were to drag on.. Chapter 11 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°What a blatant conspiracy. These people are really interesting!¡± The voices of Lofini and the others reached Rogeria and Bernal¡¯s ears clearly. ¡°You must know that these demons are not the normal wild beasts. Have these guys actually dealt with monsters before?¡± ¡°If not for you, I don¡¯t think a demon can understand human language.¡± Bernal replied to Rogeria indifferently, his eyes focused on the battle between the chess pieces. There was no doubt that monsters had intelligence and knew how to think, but the language of monsters and humans was not similar. Even if he cursed at the monsters, he still could not understand things that he could not understand. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. Don¡¯t look at me like that, I do abide by the rules.¡± Rogeria spread her hands innocently. Bernal did not comment on this. His opponent was much stronger than him. She could do what he could do. She could also do whatever he could not. It was too easy for Rogeria to pull some tricks behind the back without him realizing it. Bernal¡¯s eyes rolled around as his attention landed on the battlefield on the chessboard. A battlefield watched by God was rather sacred. It did not allow interference from others, but ¡®others¡¯ referred to a third party. There was no such thing on the chessboard at the moment. In other words¡­ The so-called demonic creature¡¯s deliberate avoidance was merely a facade. Bernal knew this, but he was not in a hurry, because he believed that the chess piece he had chosen could deal with it. It was Rogeria¡¯s turn. She tapped on a monster in the air with a smile. Bernal placed his hand on a new warrior to deal with it. Outside the City Wall of Rockrevas. Lofini¡¯s subordinates acted according to the initial agreement. As their attention was focused on the rhinoceros, they did not notice the other monsters that were quietly approaching. They also did not notice the irregular bulge on the ground. As they moved, the muscular rhinoceros did not idle. It rubbed its foot against the ground, and the flames on its body burned even more fiercely. Roar! With a series of howls, the muscle rhinoceros turned into a huge fireball and rushed towards Lofini. ¡°Now! Quick!¡± Upon noticing the muscle rhinoceros¡¯s movement, Lofini picked up his bow and quickly drew it. Battle aura followed his finger and poured into the arrow. Swoosh! ¡°Come on, you monster!¡± After being injected with his battle aura, it was like an enchantment buff. The power of ordinary arrows was immediately enhanced. The arrow flew like a meteor that passed through the muscle rhinoceros, leaving a hole in its body. The muscular rhinoceros ran a few steps, but it realized that humans were blocking it from front to back and from all directions. As for the rows of spears, they were standing up against it. The soldiers quickly surrounded it from both sides and quickly blocked its path. At the same time, Lofini kept on shooting the enhanced arrows that contained battle aura, as more and more wounds appeared in the muscle rhinoceros¡¯s body. In the blink of an eye, the muscular rhinoceros was already riddled with holes. However, neither Lofini nor his men let down their guard. The other party was a monster that they had never seen before. They did not know what trick this monster had up its sleeves. They would not relax until they made sure the monster was dead. Crack! Just as everyone¡¯s attention was attracted by the muscular rhinoceros, the ground suddenly cracked, and then huge figures sprang out from the ground. ¡°Hiss!¡± The demonic creatures roared. The moment they emerged, they attacked the humans nearest to them. ¡°This isn¡¯t good!¡± Lofini looked at the monsters that had suddenly barged into the battlefield with an ugly expression, and he hurriedly took out his spear. Battle aura burst forth from his body, and he was about to rush into the battlefield to support his men. The situation was dangerous, and Lofini did not even have the time to blame himself. However, just as he was about to proceed, a hand pressed down onto Lofini¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be rash!¡± The voice was flat, but it seemed to cast magic that calmed Lofini down. His emotions quietened, and the anxious expression on his face disappeared instantly. After coming to his senses, Lofini looked at that person and said calmly, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not, you would have died in vain like your men right now.¡± This man was wearing heavy armor, much different from ordinary soldiers. He was well-equipped, and a layer of mysterious patterns could be vaguely seen flickering with a strange brilliance. It was a set of magic armor. He was the first chess piece moved by Bernal, the commander of the infantry regiment of the Rockevas border defense garrison¡ªParkes. Parkes was one of the three strongest people in Rockrevas. His combat aura was similarly trained like Bernal¡¯s father, with color as bright and dazzling as gold. ¡°This is a battlefield. You must maintain calm at all times and not let your emotions control you.¡± Patting Lofini¡¯s shoulder lightly, Parkes stepped around the protective barrier and headed for the rhino-like monster. Looking at Parkes¡¯ back, Lofini said expressionlessly, ¡°I understand.¡± [Combat Skill: Lucid Halo] It allowed one to maintain a clear mind at all times and not be lost in unnecessary emotions. With this skill, Parkes could deal with any situation in his best mental state like a cold war machine. ¡°Mutated monster, something must have happened in the forest.¡± Looking at the groups of monsters in front of him, Parkes thought as his gaze moved along these monsters. ¡°There are no conflicts between the monsters. It¡¯s different from the usual situation.¡± After realizing this, Parkes said to Lofinni, who was behind him, ¡°Lofini, leave this to me. Go tell the Margrave that these monsters were intentionally created by someone. They should be from the same batch as the ones in the day.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even if they aren¡¯t the same group of monsters, there should be some connection between the two attacks.¡± ¡°I understand. In that case, I¡¯ll leave it to you, Commander Fitch.¡± Lofini was still under the effects of the halo as he replied indifferently. He nodded towards Parkes¡¯ back and left. As for Parkes, he was already surrounded by various strange-looking monsters in a short while. His calm gaze swept across these monsters. ¡°Although your appearances have changed too much, I can still see your original appearances.¡± Flaming Rhinoceros, Poisonous Cobra, Ground Digging Sandworm¡­ Chapter 12 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Is it really okay to send such a powerful piece right from the start?¡± ¡°Uncle Parkes¡¯ fighting prowess is secondary. What I care more about are his team¡¯s boosting abilities.¡± Parkes Fitch, one of the three strongest warriors in Rockevas, was undoubtedly powerful, but his specialty was his halo combat skills. A halo combat skill could boost a group¡¯s battle power. Parkes Fitch created them from variations of halo magic. Compared to ordinary halo magic, the effect of Pax Fitch¡¯s halo combat skill might be weaker, but it could last much longer in terms of duration. Essentially, it could withstand a long period of high-intensity combat. It was unlike the halo magic, where the magic power of the mage was exhausted before the battle even ended. After learning about Parkes¡¯ abilities, Rogeria understood Bernal¡¯s intentions immediately. Such a person would indeed reap more benefits the earlier he came in. How tricky of a situation. I did not expect Bernal to have such a person. Rogeria maintained her smile, but she was getting more and more excited. The more difficult the situation, the more amused she was. Now, this is getting challenging. Isn¡¯t it? As her eyes darted between her pieces, Rogeria began selecting the one she was about to use next. The straightforward method to deal with this was to find a monster to deal with Parkes. However, if that were to happen, she would fall into Bernal¡¯s trap. To Rogeria, all of this was only entertainment, but to Bernal, it was all real. What he held in his hands were no ordinary pawns. Every chess piece represented an actual human being, including some of his acquaintances. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± Just as Rogeria stretched out her finger for her next move, a beam of bright light suddenly enveloped the entire battlefield. Under the illumination of this light, a large number of monsters howled in pain. The pressure on Rockevas¡¯s side reduced significantly. Immediately afterward, a blue cavalry rushed into the battlefield to finish off all kinds of demonic beings. ¡°!¡± Rogeria stood up immediately, with her smile frozen on her face, and her purplish-red eyes displayed the starry universe. Anyone who was in the middle of something would become angry if they were suddenly disturbed. Needless to say, it was the same for an evil god like Rogeria, who always did things her own way. Looking at the angry Rogeria, Bernal seemed to have discovered a new continent. His gaze never left her face. What is this feeling? As he touched his chest, Bernal suddenly felt that his sense of loss was gone at this moment. An unprecedented satisfaction filled his heart. If it were before, Rogeria would have definitely responded to Bernal¡¯s stare. This time, however, she was angry. The ground outside Rockevas began to warp and melt into a swampy state. At the same time, the Monster Forest began to transform as well. The twisted trees seemed to come alive as mouths filled with sharp teeth appeared on the dried branches. On the trunk of the tree, pairs of terrifying scarlet eyes opened. It was not just that the trees had come to life, but also the entire Monster Forest seemed to have a life of its own as it began to awaken and move under Rogeria¡¯s control. Rogeria did not say a word during the entire process. Still, Bernal could sense the anger coming from her. It was a wave of intense anger that seemed like it could destroy the entire world. The space became distorted as the surrounding stars began to shatter. This space probably would not last for much longer. Bernal ignored Rogeria, who was beginning to mess around. He looked at the chessboard for the third party who had suddenly intruded into their game. To be precise, he was looking for the flag of this faction. Bernal was not unfamiliar with the flower on the flag. The flower of Korolis symbolized holiness and purification. It was not just a symbol. The Korolis Flower itself possessed holy energy that could purify and heal. What bothered Bernal the most was the meaning of the flower¡¯s appearance. The only authority in this world that had the Korolis Flower as its symbol was the Sacred Country. Bernal was a little puzzled. He only knew the country name and not much else. ¡°Why would someone from the Sacred Country suddenly appear at the border?¡± Speaking of the Sacred Country, Bernal only knew that everyone in this country believed in a God named Otto. It was one of the three human countries of the Nyer Continent. As for further information, Bernal was not too sure. Based on the current situation, they should be on Rockevas¡¯ side. They could be considered allies for the time being. Looking at Rogeria¡¯s impending counterattack, Bernal began to look forward to how the Sacred Country would deal with it. After all, she was getting serious this time. Even if Bernal did not deliberately use the contract to sense it, he could feel the anger coming from the other party. He would not be happy as well if someone interrupted in the middle of the game. However, Bernal was very happy now. He realized that Rogeria¡¯s unhappiness had already become the source of his happiness. At this moment, the emotions that were flowing through his heart were undoubtedly joy. For the first time in a long time, Bernal revealed an innocent smile that matched his current age. In the real world, Rockevas could already be described as hell. The human world was in a tragic state. There were all kinds of monsters scattered across the swamp-like black earth. In the face of such a situation, escape was the only choice for the soldiers. However, none of them from Rockevas chose to escape. Where could they run? Behind them was their country with their families. They chose to fight to the death. For their homes! And for their honor! ¡°It¡¯s quite a big deal this time around.¡± Bernal sat at the side and watched the show, contrary to his usual behavior. He looked like a child who had just received a new toy, the smile on his face ever-present. His blue eyes turned dark purple at this moment. The dark pupils on both sides began to clear up, transforming into two different crowns. One was the king¡¯s crown, and the other was the queen¡¯s crown. In Bernal¡¯s peculiar eyes, the image of Rogeria¡¯s exasperated expression flashed. ¡°It¡¯s about time. I¡¯ve had this dream long enough. Time to wake up..¡± Chapter 13 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake?¡± Opening his eyes, Bernal saw the familiar ceiling. At the moment, he was lying on a huge platform in Rogeria¡¯s arms. Indeed, it was the platform for the ritual that summoned Rogeria at the beginning. Bernal seemed to have realized why he suddenly appeared in this place long ago, and he did not show any signs of panic. A contract with an Evil God required qualification. Everything that had happened before was only an illusion. Although it was an illusion, the human perception could not tell the difference from reality. If one were in that kind of illusion, he would not sense anything amiss unless he had special abilities. ¡°Mm.¡± With a nod to Rogeria, Bernal got up from her arms. From the beginning to the end, Bernal seemed calm. It piqued Rogeria¡¯s interest in Bernal. ¡°Although I expected it, it¡¯s still unbelievable you can sign the contract with me.¡± Rogeria looked at Bernal as if he were a rare endangered species, as she pulled her face closer to Bernal with a big smile. Rogeria was like the most beautiful treasure in the world in the center of the world, attracting Bernal¡¯s attention. ¡°You¡¯re really special. I like you a lot.¡± ¡°Oh, why thank you!¡± Bernal¡¯s lips could not help but curl up when she said that. With some satisfaction and joy, Bernal directly leaned on Rogeria¡¯s shoulder. Tingle! Suddenly, the magic crystals in the four corners of the ritual platform exploded. Octopus-like tentacles suddenly emerged from all directions. Then they all rushed towards Rogeria. Swoosh! Whistling sounds could be heard cutting through the air. If it had been an ordinary person, he would probably die on the spot. However, the target of these tentacles was no ordinary person. Facing this sudden attack, the smile on Rogeria¡¯s face remained as she kept smiling at Bernal. The sea monster¡¯s tentacles stopped just as they were about to whip Rogeria. Rogeria¡¯s voice sounded in Bernal¡¯s ear. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s scary!¡± To Rogeria¡¯s surprise, Bernal seemed to know nothing. Bernal seemed afraid as he threw himself into Rogeria¡¯s arms while his body trembled slightly. Looking at Bernal, Rogeria did not know whether he was acting or not. Strange, perhaps it wasn¡¯t Bernal¡¯s doing? Rogeria tilted her head to look at the suspended tentacles in the air, and her expression was genuinely puzzled. These were her tentacles. How could she attack herself? Even if her tentacles had their own consciousness, it was impossible for them to attack her. The only possibility was that Bernal, who had just completed the contract with her, was secretly using his newfound powers to interfere. However, from Bernal¡¯s reaction at this moment, Rogeria realized that he did not know anything at all. It was strange, and it also ignited her curiosity. ¡°Swish!¡± The sea monster tentacles, which had been hovering, moved again. However, their target was not Rogeria but Bernal himself. Rogeria was shocked. Before she could understand what was going on, Bernal¡¯s body was torn apart by the tentacles. When he opened his eyes again, Bernal looked around. He was not in a cave, forest, or his home. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of dreams.¡± Bernal had completely recovered his memories. The so-called contract was ultimately a hijack of his body. He was already so-called qualified the moment Bernal successfully survived to see Rogeria. Anyone who met the criteria could be the anchor point for Rogeria in this world. However, she had waited for ages just to have this requirement met. The first condition for someone qualified to contract with Rogeria was to participate in the summoning ritual and survive until Rogeria appeared. This was also the reason why Rogeria did not stay in this world successfully until Bernal appeared. The so-called contract was not that beneficial. Obtain the power of a god through a contract? Everything was a lie. The contract would make the contractor lose his way. Rogeria, on the other hand, would devour the flesh of the contractor to obtain entry into this world. Everything was going smoothly for her, but the unexpected occurred. Bernal was supposed to be immersed in the dream world created by Rogeria, then get lost in it forever. However, for some reason, he managed to realize the nature of the Dream World. Now, he could even begin to break free. ¡­ Back in the real world, Rogeria rubbed her bare stomach in surprise. At the moment, Bernal, her contractor, had successfully integrated with her through the contract. She would no longer have to worry about being rejected by this world. It was how it should have been going. However, something unexpected happened. Scarlet red runes began to appear on her lower abdomen, swimming and weaving around. When she sensed that something was wrong, Rogeria realized that she could not manipulate Bernal at all. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rogeria was shocked and puzzled, unable to understand why this was happening. ¡°Why can¡¯t I do anything to this guy?¡± It was as if Bernal was indeed the special one. Right then, Rogeria¡¯s expression changed drastically. She was starting to get nervous and flustered. All of these emotions that she shouldn¡¯t have, or could never have felt, suddenly surfaced. Fear, anxiety, desperation¡­ ¡°Why is the contract changing? What the hell is going on?¡± Rogeria was beginning to regret her having a contract with Bernal. She suddenly felt that she was rash in contracting with a human. However, it was too late to regret now. ¡°Who is this child? Is he not as simple as a human child?¡± Rogeria did not know much about human beings. She only knew that they were a naturally weak, short lifespan, and flawed race. Supposedly, such a tiny race was impossible to remember by the Gods. However, humans had one characteristic which allowed the race to leave a deep impression on every god¡ªhumans were the most chaotic race in the countless worlds.. Chapter 14 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was when the contract was completed, and Bernal was completely swallowed by Rogeria¡¯s tentacles¡­ What a stupid little fool. You really believed whatever I said. Looking at Bernal getting devoured by her, the fanatical and excited expression on her face collapsed into chaos. You might be special, but that only exists to allow me to stay in this world. This human is really interesting. He looked so overjoyed because of this. Although Bernal hid it pretty well, there was no way he could hide his reaction and behavior in front of Rogeria. Rogeria was excited at the moment. Her encounter with Bernal was only part of the reason. It was mainly because of Bernal¡¯s foolish and interesting reaction that entertained her. ¡°Well, it was quite the surprise. I thought that after seeing that world, your brain would burn till you die. I didn¡¯t expect you to withstand it.¡±< As she spoke, she looked through the tentacles at Bernal''s closed eyes. "If you hadn''t met me, you might have been able to become a pretty powerful being among the humans with your talent." He had seen the true face of a God and even saw many other worlds. Any normal human brain would shut down when they saw these incomprehensible things. However, after Bernal''s brain received it, it was fine. At most, his head would feel a little bloated. From this, it was evident that Bernal was indeed special in some ways. It was not an exaggeration to say that he was talented. However, none of that mattered now. No matter how talented one was, it was only talent. A talent that did not cash out on his potential was no different from the garbage. Bernal''s fate was sealed. His life would end before he could grow up to showcase his talent. Gulp! Under Rogeria''s control, the tentacles around Bernal wriggled crazily. The black tentacle began to transform, turning into a sea monster-like tentacle. The smooth surface became rough and moist. Suction cups filled with sharp teeth began to appear on the surface of the tentacles. "Feel honored, human child. Be a part of me!" In an instant, the sea monster tentacles stirred frantically. Bernal, who was enveloped by the tentacles, was dismembered into pieces. Every piece of flesh flowed through the mouthpiece of the suction cup and into her body to become a part of her. As the contract ended, the massive ritual of summoning the evil god finally came to an end. "It''s been a long time since I last had fun. I hope this world doesn''t make me feel bored." As the repulsive force she felt lessened, she began to look forward to her next destination. One moment she was on the platform, and in the next, she was outside. Standing in the middle of the monster forest, she took a deep breath and was in a good mood. However, at this moment, the sound of a mirror breaking surfaced in her mind. Smash! Everything around her shattered. When she realized what was happening, she found herself back on the platform. "What''s going on?" Rogeria looked around nervously. She could not help but panic. Even among gods, there were friends and enemies. Not to mention that she was an evil god who was used to being unrestrained. The number of enemies could be imagined. If all of her enemy factions and individuals were added up, it was not enough to fill up one world. Moreover, many of these existences were not much weaker than Rogeria. Therefore, for the past few hundred years, Rogeria had been actively sending forbidden knowledge about herself to various worlds. In addition, he also followed the example of other gods to establish cults to consecrate herself. It allowed her to gather believers and hold summoning rituals. For centuries, Rogeria had responded actively to the summonings, all to find a world she could escape inside. Meanwhile, she could let herself loose for entertainment. The days of constant fleeing were not something that anyone could withstand. But now, something seemed to go wrong with her original plan. Looking around, she did not know why she was back here. And this feeling was strangely familiar. Sizzle¡ª At this moment, the pain came from her abdomen, and scarlet red runes were flashing. "When did this appear?" Rogeria''s tone had changed. The sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu was driving her crazy. Every time she was about to think of something, she could not recall it suddenly. The smile on her face disappeared, and her expression became even more chaotic. Before, the chaos came from excessive excitement and happiness. Now, it was the chaos from extreme pain from the torture. Her consciousness started to become fuzzy. The feeling of losing it at a crucial moment was extremely miserable. In countless times, when she was about to taste the joy of success, failure had always found a way to greet her. "But what is really happening? Why can''t I remember it?" It was as if the answer felt like coming out of her mouth, but she just could not say it out. Her newly formed human body began to mutate while pitch-black tentacles and hideous sea monster tentacles began to appear. "Already overworked at this level?" A childish voice sounded in her mind. The strangely familiar voice cleared up her muddled mind instantly. "This is¡­ that contractor!" Rogeria was shocked. She could not understand how Bernal, who was supposed to be a part of her, could still retain his consciousness. He could even speak. "Why?" "Are you trying to say why I can still appear or something like that?" Then, a bizarre scene occurred. Under Rogeria''s shocked gaze, her stomach suddenly swelled up. It was as if she had been pregnant for ten months. As Rogeria''s stomach swelled, the runes on her abdomen began to change. In the end, it somehow formed a magic circle. Although she had not seen this magic circle before, Rogeria was a god. She was at the highest level of life, allowing her to see the essence of the magic circle at a glance. "This is my power!" "Correct answer." Bernal''s head slowly emerged from the magic circle, and Rogeria pretty yet crumbling face reflected into his blue eyes. A familiar yet alien smile of pleasure appeared on Bernal''s face. "Then it''s time to wake up. Your Highness, as a maid, you shouldn''t let your master wait too long!" Smash! So it was all still a dream! Chapter 15 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°What on earth happened?¡± Rogeria could not understand. She looked around curiously. She lowered her head. She did not look the same as when she first appeared. The human form, the tentacles, horns, and other strange things disappeared. Her once undressed body, which was flawless, was now tightly wrapped in a maid¡¯s outfit. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A maid¡¯s outfit.¡± Bernal¡¯s voice sounded in front of Rogeria. She looked up and saw that Bernal was standing there unscathed. ¡°Alright, time to go.¡± Without giving Rogeria any time to react, Bernal summoned a huge black tentacle. He jumped directly to the top of the tentacle, then looked at Rogeria. Rogeria looked at Bernal with a puzzled look, then tilted her head and looked at him in confusion. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Rogeria felt that something was wrong, but Bernal did not give her any time to think. He interrupted her thoughts again. ¡°Destroy the dream you gave me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Dream? What is going on? Looking at Rogeria¡¯s puzzled expression, Bernal suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, right, you¡¯re also an illusion now, so you don¡¯t know anything!¡± Apart from himself, everything else in the dream, including this power, seemed realistic, but they were all illusory. As a part of the dream, Rogeria naturally did not know the truth of this world. With this in mind, Bernal threw out a few tentacles and wrapped them around Rogeria¡¯s waist. ¡°Hold up, what are you doing?¡± She subconsciously tried to resist when attacked by the tentacles. However, no matter how she struggled, she was powerless. Her resistance was useless. Her powers got stripped away, and she could barely react. When she regained her senses, she was standing beside Bernal. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that the place we are in is not real.¡± ¡°An Illusion?¡± ¡°To you, this is reality. Everything here is real, but that¡¯s not the case for me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Rogeria was an evil god, the original wielder of this power. However, her reaction was somewhat abnormal. ¡°Yes.¡± Bernal controlled the tentacles to send him and Rogeria away. He looked at Logeria and said, ¡°From now on, you are my maid. We escaped together when disaster struck. And now you have nowhere to go.¡± On the way back to his father¡¯s territory, Bernal began to tell Rogeria what to say after their return. Throughout the process, Rogeria was like a puppet, agreeing to everything Bernal said without any questions. On the way, Rogeria listened to whatever Bernal said. Looking at Bernal, who thought that everything was under his control, Rogeria was absolutely delighted as she felt like laughing! It¡¯s hilarious. What is this guy thinking? He really believed he was still dreaming. As an evil god, it was impossible for Rogeria to become confused between reality and dreams. Therefore, she found it interesting when Bernal started saying that all of this was unreal. Ultimately, Bernal only seized her power by accident because of some unknown problem with the contract. Bernal was only a novice in terms of his understanding and control of the power. Therefore, after breaking apart from the dream world, he would think that this was a multi-layered dream world because of the lingering illusory and unrealistic feelings. What a joke. This guy thinks too highly of himself. Even if he was successful in surviving until her appearance, he was at most a little special. Rogeria mocked Bernard in her heart while she began to link with her power through the contract. It was her own powers, after all. Even if it got stolen, it should be easy to retrieve it. However¡­ Damn it! Just why? Why can¡¯t I get my powers back? Rogeria was very surprised, and she could not accept the situation. At this moment, Bernal looked over. ¡°Don¡¯t think about getting back your power. The contract is officially in effect now. And I¡¯m in control based on the contract.¡± Bernal tilted his head and replied like he was talking about a trivial matter. Damn it! He predicted all of my actions. No, I would say that he could sense it. Rogeria was fuming mad, but she could only endure Bernal¡¯s humiliation due to the current situation. It was truly a humiliation. As a god, she became controlled by someone in such a casual manner. I will make you pay! At this moment, Rogeria did not realize that as a God, she had become unusually emotional. It didn¡¯t feel like a god, but more like a human. Rogeria gave Bernal a long hard look. Although she was reluctant, she still had to stand obediently by Bernal¡¯s side. Just you wait. I will definitely take back my power and banish you from this world forever. ¡­ ¡°It really worked. I thought that I would need to set up a few more layers to succeed.¡± Bernal looked at the evil god, Rogeria, who had stopped thinking in front of him, and the corners of his mouth curled up. He looked elated. At this moment, if someone had seen Bernal and Rogeria, they would most definitely scream and chase Bernal away. Bernal looked more like an evil god. He had black hair and crimson eyes. His pale skin was pallid, and he had horns on his head that Rogeria had had before. The black tide beneath his feet surged, occasionally producing strange and fascinating existences. It was not just tentacles but something else. In addition, ripples appeared in the space around Bernal, and sea monster tentacles extended out. These tentacles surrounded Bernal, protecting him in the middle, making him look terrifying. On the other hand, Rogeria seemed ordinary. Apart from being too perfect, she was in her human form. ¡°Squeak squeak!¡± A tentacle caught a rat, and Bernal looked at the rat and read out Rogeria¡¯s name. ¡°Rogeria.¡± Upon hearing this name, the rat stopped struggling. Then, its entire body began to swell, and its flesh began to distort and mutate. Upon seeing this, Bernal controlled the tentacles to throw the rat to the side casually. ¡°Indeed, one does not casually speak of the name of an Evil God..¡± Chapter 16 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bernal looked at the puppet-like Rogeria while a few tentacles wrapped around his waist and picked him up. After he got up to her eye level, Bernal placed his hands on Rogeria¡¯s face and rubbed it playfully. Bernal played with it as if he had obtained a new toy. Throughout the entire process, Rogeria remained expressionless while she allowed Bernal to toy with her. After some time, Bernal got tired of it and withdrew his little hands. ¡°It¡¯s time to give you a new name.¡± Rogeria, who had been like a puppet, finally reacted. She looked at Bernal in confusion and repeated what he had said. ¡°Name¡­¡± ¡°Yes, a new name. From the moment you obtain your new name, you will bid farewell to the past and begin a brand new life.¡± ¡°New life.¡± Bernal nodded, then smiled happily like a ray of warm glowing sunshine. ¡°Yes, a new life. Welcome to my world, Alia.¡± ¡°Alia.¡± Alia was Rogeria¡¯s new name, while the real Rogeria was in the dream created by Bernal. Rogeria did not use her powers to create too many layers of dreams because she had never imagined that Bernal would break free from them. In particular, under the premise that some dreams were more blissful than reality, no one expected Bernal to be able to break free. Even Bernal himself was surprised. However, he had some idea of the reason for this situation. ¡°What an unexpected development. Being in a realistic dream which is more wonderful than reality is indeed a reveling experience.¡± A tinge of recollection and obsession flashed in Bernal¡¯s eyes. In the last dream, the feeling of treating the world as a chessboard was enjoyable. ¡°But illusions are ultimately illusions.¡± Fake things could never be real. There were still people waiting for him to return home in the real world. He could not disappear just like that. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Alia. From today onwards, you will be my personal maid responsible for my daily life.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a sparkle appeared in Rogeria¡¯s empty eyes. At this moment, Rogeria, no, Alia¡¯s personality was officially born. However, like a newborn, this personality had many things to learn. With the dragging of the tentacles, Bernal walked out of the cave with Alia. As soon as they came out, the familiar moon hung in the sky, reminding Bernal of some unpleasant memories. Although it was a dream, it often relied on reality to exist. Not to mention that it was a dream established by a God, it seemed reasonable to predict the future based on reality. With this thought, the ground at Bernal¡¯s feet instantly shrouded in darkness. Gulp gulp! The black tide surged and spread out. With the moonlight shining, Bernal¡¯s eyes lit up. The crown-like pupil could be seen clearly in his eye. Everything in the dream was fake, but not entirely. For some reason, the power he acquired from the Evil God in those dreams could affect the real world. It undoubtedly saved Bernal a lot of trouble. As the black tide spread, Bernal¡¯s perception was expanding. ¡°Is it too late?¡± He could faintly hear the approaching clattering sound of horse hooves. Even from a distance, Bernal could feel the sickening aura of death. The hoofbeats and the deathly aura came from a squad of knights who had come to search for Bernal. The person in the lead was none other than Victor, who Bernal had killed in the dream. ¡°Uncle Victor.¡± Bernal looked in the direction and said the name calmly. Surprisingly, perhaps because he had experienced it once, Bernal did not feel too sad at the moment. Realizing that, Bernal placed his hand on his heart and felt his heartbeat. He looked at Victor and the others who had already entered his vision. The abomination was identical to the one in the dream. ¡°Even so, I¡¯m not moved?¡± The corners of Bernal¡¯s mouth curled up. In the face of the death of someone he knew, Bernal smiled. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is? The price of the contract is stripping away my feeling of sorrow?¡± After understanding this, Bernal reached out his hand toward Victor. Gulp gulp! At the same time, the black tide surged and attacked Victor and the others like a tsunami. Having lost his emotion of sadness, Bernal expressionlessly attacked Victor and others who were already mutated. He even found it fascinating. ¡°As guardians of the city and the knights of the country, this is not enough!¡± Bernal seemed as happy as a child seeing a toy. ¡°Let me help you guys a little!¡± Beside him, Alia watched all of this in silence. She watched as Victor and the others got swallowed by the black tide. Alia looked at the black waters on the ground, her dark eyes reflecting the insides of the black tide. The strange and ominous dark energy invaded the bodies of the knights and transformed them. ¡°Hehehe! Once you guys become stronger, I¡¯m sure my father will be happy too!¡± Perhaps due to the influence of his body, Bernal acted like a child in his style and words. ¡°But I¡¯m tired of getting attacked by monsters all the time.¡± Bernal seemed to have thought of something as he looked around the monster forest. Ever since he came to this world, his impression of the monster forest had been poor. No one could treat an existence that could threaten their life kindly. For a long time, the monster forest had been his nightmare. However, all of this could finally come to an end today. The nightmare that had plagued him for a long time was about to end. ¡°Arghhh!¡± Painful wails sounded from the black tide and reverberated through the entire forest. Gulp gulp! Soon, the devoured knights stood up from the black tide again. An unknown black liquid flowed down their bodies. At this moment, the once detestable knights were gone, and they had returned to their original appearances. If one ignored the dripping black water, they looked no different from ordinary people.. Chapter 17 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After reviewing the entire contracting process, Bernal felt like he was still in a dream. Things were going too smoothly to the point that it was suspicious. Looking at the obedient Alia, Bernal was thrilled. He could not believe that he had subdued an evil god and even made her his maid. The only pity was that he did not understand all of her abilities. He still needed to figure out what Rogeria¡¯s Godhood, authority, and abilities were by himself in the future. ¡°Who knew that the ritual that killed me in the previous world would save my life in this world.¡± Bernal lamented. As he had lost the ability to feel sadness, he was not upset. It was just that when he thought about how his life in the previous world had only just begun, it was already over. It made him feel somewhat regretful. If he had known this earlier, he would have been more daring in the beginning. Closing his eyes, Bernal fell into cogitation, his mind sinking into his sea consciousness. At this moment, there were two marks in this space. Bernal could not see one of the marks clearly, but he could sense the power contained in it. The pattern of the other mark was much clearer. It was Rogeria¡¯s pattern. The two marks represented the two evil gods that Bernal had contracts with. One was an unidentified god, and the details of the contract and the functions were unknown. One thing for sure was that when Bernal fell into an illusion or a dream, this contract could free him from it. As for the other evil god, it was Rogeria who contracted with him not long ago. With the help of the first contract, Bernal successfully used her own power to restrain her in the dream. While along the process, he modified the details of their contract. Through this revised contract, Bernal could use Rogeria¡¯s power without any side effects. Gulp gulp! As he was thinking, something under the black mud on the ground sounded. Bernal returned to his senses and focused on the ground. ¡°Is it done?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, knights in black armor stood up from the black mud. The black color quickly faded from these people¡¯s bodies, returning them to their original looks. At least, from the outside, these knights looked no different from before. Bernal nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Not bad. It seems like my skills are decent enough. Now, Father and the rest shouldn¡¯t suspect a thing.¡± The reborn knights retained their memories before the transformation. However, their consciousness and emotions were all modified by Bernal. Apart from the fact that their daily disguise seemed normal, their inner self became controlled by Bernal. As long as Bernard gave the order, these people would not hesitate to kill the people closest to them. Regardless of whether this person was themselves, their children, or their lovers and parents, as long as Bernal gave the word, they would abandon these people. They could either be their former selves or tools that belonged to Bernal exclusively. It all depended on how Bernal wanted to use them. ¡°In the past, I could only spend my days in fear, always afraid that I would get attacked by the monsters here.¡± The dark swamp began to spread, and all the creatures that it contacted began to become deformed. ¡°But it¡¯s different now. With this power, I can turn this monster forest into my pet park.¡± Gulp gulp! A horse wearing black armor stood up from the black mud. It walked in front of Bernal and slowly squatted down. Victor, the original owner of this warhorse, was beside the horse, leading the horse for Bernal. Bernal slowly got on the horse as if he was a king of a country patrolling his territory. What he needed to do now was simple. He wanted to reform the entire forest. The attack was clearly premeditated. The masterminds behind all of this might have died as sacrificial offerings to Rogeria. It was also possible that they were still alive in this world, while those heretics were merely pawns of a higher power. It meant that the enemy was in the dark while he was in the light. Either way, this forest that threatened the country, the city, and the daily life of Bernal had to be redeveloped. He wanted to use this place as a protected zone against external enemies and maintain his daily safety. I never imagined that I would ever come here. Bernal recalled how he had been confined to the huge mansion since he was born. It was dangerous outside. There were enemies everywhere. If he wanted to get out, he had to become stronger. This thought had always been instilled by his parents ever since he came to this world. It was a pity that he did not have the talent to become stronger in the past. But it was different now. Talent was no longer relevant because he already possessed the power that no one could stop. ¡°Am I invincible?¡± Bernal felt the power flowing through his body, and he looked at the forest that was constantly twisting and changing its appearance as he willed. He felt great now. ¡°No, in the Legendary realm, anyone can do the same thing as what Young Master is doing.¡± Just as Bernal was getting overconfident as he felt that no one in the world could stop him, Victor, who was holding his horse for him, suddenly spoke. Although Bernal had modified his consciousness and body, Victor¡¯s memories and experiences were not affected. ¡°Legendary?¡± Bernal was first startled before he looked at Victor and asked, ¡°Uncle Victor, can you tell me something about the cultivation levels?¡± As Bernal¡¯s talent was not ideal, his father, Moss, believed that his son had no chance with cultivation. Therefore, Bernal had not known about the various levels and realms of cultivators. Under Bernal¡¯s quizzical gaze, Victor told him everything he knew. ¡°Before the Legendary realm, there were a total of one to nine levels. The difference between the first five levels is not obvious, but the improvements in every level after the sixth level are significant.¡± ¡°What about the legendary stage?¡± ¡°When you breakthrough to the ninth level, your life level will usher in a major advancement. At that time, it will be equivalent to entering the Legendary realm. And after entering the Legendary realm, you can no longer be considered a human. Your lifespan would no longer become limited by human limitations. Thus the legendary realm is also known as demigods..¡± Chapter 18 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°In addition to not being bound by life expectancy, the other key characteristic of a legendary expert is in his domain.¡± At this point, Bernal seemed to understand something. He looked at Victor and waited for him to explain further. ¡°Like I¡¯ve mentioned just now. Modifying the terrain and changing the forms of creatures can also be achieved once you reach the Legendary stage.¡± Victor led the horse in front, offering Bernal some common knowledge he never knew before. ¡°Another reason the legendary stage are called demigods is that they can control the creatures and environment in their own domains.¡± At this point, Victor paused and added, ¡°To be precise, they can control everything in the domain.¡± Control everything in the domain? Bernal was shocked. What was the difference between this and God? So there was actually such a terrifying existence in this world? While he was shocked, Bernal became more interested in these things that he had never heard before. ¡°Then, what are the known legendary stages?¡± ¡°Not a single one.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± It was an unexpected answer. Bernal looked at Victor in surprise, wondering what he meant. As if he expected Bernal to have such a reaction, Victor continued to explain. ¡°There was a huge battle in the past where all the legends died.¡± Looking up, Victor tried to respond to everything he knew. ¡°The records of that period of history are limited, and only some general information is available. No one knows more details. All we know is that the battle concerned the survival of the entire world.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Can¡¯t anyone in this world become a legend after that?¡± ¡°No, the strongest person currently is only at the ninth level.¡± What? No legends until now? What could be the reason for this? Bernal was curious. He asked, ¡°Do you know why no legends appeared ever since?¡± ¡°It seems that after that battle, many cultivation methods and knowledge were gone with the deaths. They did not pass down their knowledge. So, it¡¯s not that no one wanted to advance. It¡¯s just that no one knew how to advance into the legendary stage.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Bernal looked thoughtful. Victor had said as much as he had expected. ¡°Then what level is my father at?¡± Hearing Bernal asking about Margrave Moss, Victor did not have any other reaction, as if Margrave Moss was an ordinary passerby. ¡°Stage nine.¡± The answer was within Bernal¡¯s expectations. As the guardian of the country¡¯s border, Margrave Moss must be powerful to resist external enemies. ¡°So that means we¡¯re considered powerful?¡± ¡°No, the Liluca Kingdom is the weakest of the human kingdoms.¡± ¡°Why is that? Is it because there are very few people at level nine in the Liluca Kingdom?¡± Victor nodded and said calmly, ¡°This is one of the reasons. The Liluka Kingdom has the fewest number of experts of the ninth rank. In addition, compared to the other two human countries, the Liluca Kingdom is like a pool of stagnant water without any development. ¡± ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t the kingdom of Liluca been destroyed yet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of the will of our people in Liluca and¡­ a divine artifact.¡± ¡°A divine artifact?¡± ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s only a legend. No one knows if it¡¯s real.¡± Victor did not know much about the artifact. It was the country¡¯s secret for survival. It was normal that Victor, the captain of a knight squad, could not know so much. ¡°However, from the fact that the Liluca Kingdom is still safe and sound, the rumor of this artifact is probably true.¡± Bernal nodded in agreement. ¡°I see.¡± But was that really the case? Even if the story was real, no one had seen the divine artifact for so many years. Even if it did exist, no one knew whether it could still be used. This news served as a wake-up call for Bernal. He did not expect the situation in the Liluca Kingdom to be so awkward. He had reasons to believe that spies and emissaries from other countries must have visited the Kingdom of Liluka often over the years. They must have come to confirm the authenticity of this rumor and the legitimacy of the divine artifact. It would be fine if the divine artifact was confirmed to exist. If it was not true, then war was imminent. When the time came, the first to be affected would be this frontier district. A sense of crisis welled up in his heart, and a sense of urgency grew. While Bernal was thinking, Victor¡¯s voice sounded again. ¡°Young Master, I suggest that you return first. The margrave and the countess are still waiting for you. If you take any longer, it¡¯ll be late into the night. By that time, it will be impossible to explain how we were able to return safely.¡± The monster forest was much more dangerous at night. As the night deepened, the danger level would only continue to increase with time. Once the latter half of the night began, no one below the seventh level could come out alive. Not to mention that Victor was only a level-five knight before the transformation. ¡°I understand.¡± Bernal nodded and agreed to Victor¡¯s suggestion. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the explanation of this person to you then.¡± Bernal was naturally referring to his new maid, Alia. If Victor and the others only brought Bernal back, it was not a big deal. However, if he were to bring a stranger back, there would definitely be a lot of questioning. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Master. I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± Victor¡¯s voice was calm as if nothing could make him react. The current Victor was an emotionless machine. If it were Bernal before he formed the contract with Rogeria, he would never have done this to Victor. Now, however, Bernal was satisfied with such an obedient servant. ¡°Master, am I leaving you?¡± Hearing the men¡¯s conversation, Alia suddenly spoke. Although she did not fully understand the current situation, she could feel the connection between her and Bernal. She felt like Bernal was her own kind. It made her feel at ease and close to him. She didn¡¯t want to be separated from Bernal if she could. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Victor will handle it.¡± Victor had been with Margrave Moss for many years and was an old veteran by the margrave¡¯s side. Bernal believed that he had a way to explain Alia¡¯s existence. After hearing Bernal¡¯s promise, Alia looked at Victor, who was as expressionless as ever, looking forward.. Chapter 19 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Home? I wonder if my mother is all right? He knew things might have changed after they returned, but Bernal¡¯s heart remained calm. Without the ability to feel sorrow, Bernal suddenly felt like he had become a monster. He should be feeling sad, but he could only feel anger and fear. Buzz! His mind buzzed, and Bernal suddenly realized that his fear was fading. Am I even denied the right to sense fear? Buzz! When the fear completely disappeared from Bernal¡¯s heart, he realized that his anger was laughable. ¡°I guess that¡¯s good too.¡± ¡°What can I do for you, Young Master?¡± Hearing Bernal¡¯s voice, Victor looked at him, puzzled. ¡°Nothing. You may carry on.¡± Bernal shook his head. He looked around, tilted his head, and thought. Isn¡¯t this too slow? The next moment, the black tide surged on the ground. As the black water advanced, the entire team began to accelerate. That¡¯s better. Thud! As Bernal controlled the black tide to speed up, a large tree at the side collapsed, and a huge black shadow darted out of the bushes. ¡°Be careful, Young Master. It is the Night Bat Ape!¡± When the moonlight shone on the black shadow, its figure was completely revealed. The so-called Night Bat Ape was a combination of a bat and an ape. For some reason, when Bernal saw the so-called Night Bat Ape, he had this thought: It did not feel like a species from nature but like a product of some experiment. ¡°At night, this type of Night Bat Ape will become very active. Although it¡¯s only at level three, under the moonlight at night, it can unleash the power of a level four.¡± ¡°The most important thing is that the Night Bat Apes often act in groups. As soon as he finished speaking, black figures sprang out from the surroundings, either hanging from trees or flapping their wings as they looked over hungrily. The moment they saw these Night Bat Apes, the knights immediately protected Bernard and formed a circle around him. ¡°As expected of the forest, it seems like it¡¯s impossible to go home smoothly.¡± At night, did they not even have the basic animal instinct to avoid danger? Or was it that being in a group gave these monsters a sense of security? ¡°Alright, let me see how you guys perform after the transformation.¡± As he spoke, the night bat apes were the first to attack. Victor did not hesitate to release the battle aura in his body to counter the attack. Unlike the silver battle aura from before, everyone¡¯s battle aura, including Victor, had turned dark red. Usually, the color of the battle aura represents the strength of the person, from weak to strong, and is ranked in order of bronze, silver, and gold. However, some specific cultivation methods could change the color of the battle aura. Combat Aura of a different color often had its specialty. For example, the dark red battle energy released by Victor and the others now had the ability of corrosion. The wound created by such a battle aura would be difficult to heal. At the same time, it began corroding away and gradually expanded until the victim¡¯s death. The nearest Night Black Ape was slashed to the ground by Victor. The wound was huge, but no blood flowed out. The Night Bat Ape, who had been knocked down to the ground, began to go mad with bloodshot eyes. Are they losing sanity? Bernal, who was protected at the side, observed these Night Bat Apes with great interest. When he saw the Night Bat Ape losing its sanity after corrosion from the battle aura and beginning to attack indiscriminately, excitement flashed in Bernal¡¯s eyes. Is it that painful? Meanwhile, the Night Bat Apes were all startled by the unexpected attack from their companion. They could not understand why their kind would attack them. The situation immediately became chaotic. The Night Bat Ape that got attacked had a temper as well. After the initial confusion, it quickly stood up to counterattack. Soon, the Night Bat Apes began fighting each other. The pressure on Victor¡¯s side lessened greatly. What happened next was simple. Facing an enemy that was divided internally, Victor quickly finished off the battle with his subordinates. After more than half the Night Bat Apes were killed, the remaining Night Bat Apes gradually came to their senses as fear enveloped them. Many lost their will to fight as they spread their wings and began to flee. Seeing this, Victor stopped his attack and returned to Bernal¡¯s side. ¡°Young Master, are you alright?¡± Bernal shook his head to show that everything was fine. He looked at the Night Bat Apes on the ground. Many of them were still barely alive. Some of them were losing their lives bit by bit while they lost all hope of survival. Since it¡¯s so painful, let me give you a helping hand. Gulp gulp! A familiar sound reverberated through the forest. The ground flowed again, and the black ocean swallowed all of these Night Bat Apes, whether they were alive or dead. They should be useful after some modification. With this thought, Bernal began to think about how to improve on them. If it was just a random modification, the creatures after the transformation might not be as strong as before. He had to consider all aspects. Just like Victor and the others in Bernal¡¯s dream, Rogeria¡¯s modification of them was random. Otherwise, the bloated meatball would not have appeared. After settling the issue, Bernal and the others began their journey home. On the way, Bernal began to think about his modification plan for the Night Bat Ape. Hmm, there was indeed something strange. In his initial observation of the Night Bat Ape¡¯s body structure, Bernal confirmed his previous guess. The internal structure of this demon gave him a strong sense of discordance. The connection between the bat¡¯s wings and the ape¡¯s body was not natural. It was just that he did not understand how someone could forcefully combine these two types of creatures to the extent that they could reproduce normally. After discovering the problem with the Night Bat Ape, Bernal suddenly developed a strong interest in this magical forest. Why were there so many monsters here? Why was it so terrifying at night? Why would those people choose to hold the ritual of the evil gods in this dangerous forest? Bernal was filled with curiosity about all of this. His instincts told him that there must be a secret more shocking than the Evil God hidden in this forest. With this in mind, Bernal looked at Victor and asked, ¡°Victor, do you know what this monster forest used to be like?¡± Chapter 20 - Back Home Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Oh, my child!¡± Eva stood on the balcony, looking in the direction of the demonic forest with tears streaming down her face. Standing behind Eva was Moss. Pain flashed in his eyes, but he quickly recovered from his numbness. He looked out of the window. The moonlight was still as beautiful. However, Moss did not like the moon, as the brighter and clearer the moon was, the more terrifying the monster forest was. At this time of the night, I lost my child again. How many times has it been? Moss did not want to know, but as a level-nine expert, he only needed a moment of thought before his intelligent brain told him the answer. 13 times. Moss would not forget every loss. As long as he was not old enough, as long as he wanted, those innocent and cute faces of those children would appear in his mind. It happened every time. Moss blamed himself, but there was nothing he could do. He was alone, but there were too many enemies. Just as Moss was accompanying his wife, Eva, in sorrow, the butler at home suddenly rushed in. Upon hearing the door being barged open behind him, Moss frowned. In his impression, this butler was not such a rash person. Then, he suddenly remembered that his old butler had left. The old butler who had accompanied him for seven years had used his life to stall the demons in order to protect Bernal. Upon thinking of this, his heart palpitated. He wanted to reprimand the new butler, but when he remembered that he was the son of his old butler, Moss did not speak about it eventually. At this moment, the young butler looked at the back of Moss and Eva in the room and said while panting, ¡°My lord, Madam, I have good news, Young Master has returned!¡± Moss turned around immediately. The young butler had not understood what was going on. He only felt his vision blur as Moss appeared in front of him. Sensing the margrave gaze on him, the young butler had never seen such a situation before. His expression became nervous instantly. ¡°Are you sure you are not mistaken?¡± Facing Moss¡¯s question, the young butler stuttered, but thankfully, he quickly corrected himself. ¡°Captain P-P-Parkes has already personally confirmed that it was indeed Young Master and the others.¡± Upon hearing Parkes¡¯ name, Moss¡¯ gaze softened a little. Then, he noticed something as he looked at the young butler and asked, ¡°Others? Who else?¡± ¡°The members of the previously missing Victor Knight team.¡± The young butler did not know why Moss asked this question. Still, he truthfully told Moss the news he had just received. ¡°Every single one back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After receiving a confirmation, Moss fell into a brief silence. No one knew what he was thinking. After some thought, Moss waved the young butler away when he heard Eva¡¯s hurried breathing behind him. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going too.¡± Unsurprisingly, when Moss said he was leaving, Eva stepped forward to indicate that she was coming along. Moss disagreed as he looked at Eva¡¯s excited expression calmly. ¡°You will stay here.¡± ¡°Moss!¡± ¡°Do as I say.¡± Eva froze. She could not understand why Moss would refuse to let her. She called his name and walked towards him. Her attitude showed that she was determined to leave. However, facing Eva, who was acting unusually stubborn, Moss¡¯ response remained the same. ¡°Do as I say.¡± Looking at Moss, who repeatedly insisted on not letting her go, Eva realized something. Tears that she thought had already dried up flowed down her face again. ¡°Oh, my poor little child.¡± Seeing Eva like this, Moss did not say a word as he turned around and walked out of the room silently. When he reached the courtyard, the young butler had already prepared the carriage thoughtfully. ¡°My lord, the carriage is ready.¡± Glancing at the young man, Moss shook his head slightly to reject it. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll fly right over.¡± With that said, a golden battle aura surfaced on Moss¡¯ body. As the battle aura surged, Moss¡¯ body gradually floated up. In the next moment, he transformed into a golden meteor that flew towards the city gate. Meanwhile, Victor was confronting Parkes. ¡°We¡¯re all familiar with each other, and we all know the rules. However, can you let the young master in first?¡± Victor had long expected this to happen. After all, with their team¡¯s combat power, it was reasonable to say that it was impossible for them to return safely from the monster forest at this time of the night. Not to mention that he was bringing two burdens with him. They could not avoid the necessary checks and detainments. Victor was prepared for that. However, he still had to do his best to let Bernal go home as soon as possible. Parkes hesitantly glanced at Bernal, carried by Alia on a horse. Clearly, Parkes also thought that he was being unreasonable, but after considering his position, he chose to decline. ¡°No, before the Margrave comes, even Young Master can only wait for a while.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s part of my duty.¡± ¡°Alright, I can understand.¡± Victor sighed helplessly. At this point, he could only wait for Margrave Moss to arrive. At this moment, Bernal had already fallen asleep on the horse. He was not pretending to sleep to avoid the interrogation because he had really fallen asleep. On the way home, Bernal became interested in the monster forest. Therefore, Bernal spent a lot of time and effort on the plants and animals in the forest. At the same time, he tried many modification plans for the Night Bat Ape. As for the result, if obtaining a few crippled Night Bat Apes used as fertilizer was considered rewards, he did gain quite a lot. When only one living Night Bat Ape remained in his hand, Bernal¡¯s eyes began to bleed. He had used too much of Rogeria¡¯s power, so his body reacted naturally. Therefore, Bernal lay in Alia¡¯s arms and fell asleep. At this moment, while paying attention to the sleeping Bernal in her arms, Alia observed her surroundings curiously. As a newborn, she was interested in everything that she saw. At this time, the golden light in the sky caught her attention. The next moment, a stream of light landed on the ground as a middle-aged man with a solemn expression and classy clothes walked out. The man first glanced at Bernal in Alia¡¯s arms before his gaze lingered on her face for a moment. Once this person appeared, everyone except Alia and Bernal in her arms bowed to him. ¡°My lord..¡± Chapter 21 - Eye of Truth Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Moss heaved a sigh of relief when he swept his gaze across everyone in the Victor Knight team. Not a single person was missing. It was true. It was unbelievable, but it was great news. As a border Margrave, Moss was used to losing people, but he hated it the most. ¡°All of you may rise.¡± While he was happy for the safety of Victor¡¯s team, Moss did not lower his guard. It was the border, and anything could happen here. There were incidents where missing knights suddenly returned and then killed their former companions at night to open the city gate for the enemy. Golden battle aura poured into his eyes, turning Moss¡¯ eyes golden. At that moment, the scenery in his vision had changed. [Battle Aura Skill: Eye of Truth] Through this skill, Moss could see through the enemy¡¯s disguise, as well as the traces of magic, the direction of magic aura, and other things that ordinary eyes could not see. Upon seeing Victor and company, Moss¡¯ heart palpitated at first sight. Frenzied black gas surfaced on Victor and the others. A bloody scarlet mist intertwined, transforming into the appearances of Victor and the others from time to time. Through this bloody mist, Moss seemed to see his subordinates struggling in the monster forest. An eerily white mist transformed into the monsters falling under the attacks of his men. Nether Wolf, Gale Flying Snake, Night Bat Ape¡­ Glancing away, Moss looked at Bernal, who was in Alia¡¯s arms. When he saw Bernal¡¯s tender face and peaceful sleeping expression, Moss¡¯ gaze softened. This time, he did not lose anything. His child was still alive¡­ Mos no longer knew how to describe his current emotions. He had an inexplicable urge to hug this child. His eyes were slightly red and swollen. Moss had the urge to cry for once in a long time. However, Moss repressed these feelings. The mission and responsibilities he shouldered did not allow him to appear weak. Even if it was his child, Moss could not favor anyone. If anything wrong were to happen, no matter how unwilling he was, he had to perform his duties for the sake of the country¡¯s safety¡­ The golden light in his eyes brightened up as Moss carefully observed his child and Alia, who was carrying Bernal. ¡°Help!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Somebody help!¡± Moss pushed his Eye of Truth to the limit to even see a bit of what happened to Bernal. At the time, Bernal was grabbed by the cultists in helplessness and despair. Upon seeing these scenes, Moss finally felt relieved. He closed the Eye of Truth and nodded at Parkes. Parkes trusted Moss¡¯ judgment unconditionally, so he immediately ordered his men to let Victor and the others pass. Moss walked up to Alia and held out his hands to her. Alia looked at Victor hesitantly, who nodded at her. Seeing that there was no problem, Alia gave Bernal to Moss. Beside him, Parkes watched the scene and sighed with admiration. He had followed Moss to guard this border for decades, and no one knew better than him about Moss¡¯ sacrifice for Liluca. Now, with Bernal¡¯s return, he felt happy for Moss from the bottom of his heart. The first time Moss hugged Bernal, perhaps because he had arrived in an unfamiliar embrace, and Bernal seemed to be slightly unused to it. He frowned as his body twisted uneasily. Sensing Bernal¡¯s actions, Moss, who hugged his son for the first time, felt at a loss momentarily. Moss¡¯ reaction reflected in the eyes of the soldiers, who had mixed emotions. They did not ridicule Moss for his clumsiness and stiffness at all. Instead, they respected the usually lofty Margrave more. They were glad to have such a powerful guardian. Moss did not know what his men were thinking. He could not care less about his image at the moment as his mind focused on Bernal. Moss, who did not show any signs of panic despite facing the attacks of millions of monsters, was actually slightly nervous when facing his child. After confirming that Bernal did not wake up because of him, Moss turned his head and said to Victor, ¡°Victor, come and see me later after everything here got settled.¡± As he spoke, Mos lowered his voice for the first time in case he woke Bernal up. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± After instructing Victor, Moss looked at Alia, who dressed as a maid. Moss did not know how to deal with this seemingly harmless maid. Through the Eye of Truth, Moss saw the scene of her escaping the cave with Bernal. However, that scene was extremely vague. Moss could at most determine that the two of them had escaped. Moss could not tell the exact details of how his son escaped. That was suspicious. If possible, he wanted to execute her secretly. It was the safest way. Moss was definitely not a benevolent person. However¡­ Looking at Bernal in his arms, Moss thought for a moment before telling Parkes. ¡°Send this woman to my residence.¡± Parkes nodded. He immediately understood what Moss meant. Although he would not kill her, he would need to send people to monitor her closely. If anything wrong with Alia got detected, he would kill her without hesitation. Moss seemed assured to leave it to Parkes. He nodded and transformed into a stream of light that rushed into the sky. Seeing Moss disappear, Alia instinctively tried to follow him. However, Victor stopped her. He knew the situation with Alia. She had to separate from Bernal before clearing her suspicion. Feeling Parkes¡¯s gaze on him, Victor gave a simple introduction. ¡°This is Alia. It¡¯s all thanks to her that we were able to find our young master.¡± As he had passed Moss¡¯ test, Victor regained the trust and respect of Parkes and the others. Pax didn¡¯t question what Victor said. ¡°What on earth happened to Young Master?¡± ¡°They¡¯re cultists. They wanted to capture and use Young Master as a sacrifice.¡± Upon hearing this, Parks was immediately convinced. Although Young Master Bonal¡¯s talent was terrible, the blood that flowed through his body was the blood of the Nielson family. Noble blood was the cultists¡¯ favorite offering. ¡°However, if it¡¯s only heretics, they don¡¯t have the guts or the ability to plan a demonic attack.¡± Parkes looked thoughtfully. He made a guess. ¡°In that case, it seems that someone from another country is behind this attack..¡± Chapter 22 - A Maids First Experience Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When the door opened again, Eva looked over with a hint of anticipation in her eyes. Although she did not have much hope, she still hoped that things would work out. What if a miracle happened? When Moss appeared in front of Eva with Bernal in his arms, Eva felt like she was going to faint from her jubilation. She hurriedly ran to Moss and saw Bernal sleeping soundly in Moss¡¯s arms. ¡°Oh Bernal, my Bernal!¡± Joy enveloped Eva as her tears fell again. Earlier, they were tears of sorrow and despair. This time, they were tears of joy. Despite her exhilaration, Eva did her best to control herself and was careful not to wake her child up. When Bernal woke up again, he saw the ceiling that he had been staring at for three to four years. This was his room. I¡¯m back? Turning around, Bernal saw a familiar figure. His mother, Eva, was leaning over the bed, her hands clutching Bernal¡¯s arm. Feeling the warmth from his palm, Bernal felt very relieved. He was finally back. ¡°Mother.¡± Hearing Bernal¡¯s call, Eva looked up immediately. She was in a light sleep. ¡°Bernal, you¡¯re awake. Do you feel unwell? Is there anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m feeling good.¡± It was the truth. Although Bernal had not eaten for a day and night, his body had been enhanced comprehensively after the test of the Evil God¡¯s powers, and Bernal did not feel hungry at all. In fact, he believed that he might not even need to eat anymore. However, in Eva¡¯s opinion, her child was intentionally hiding his situation from her because he didn¡¯t want her to worry. What a sensible child! ¡°This will not do. You must be starving.¡± With that, Eva gave Bernal a big hug. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to bring you breakfast now. Please wait a while.¡± In order not to worry Eva, Bernal did not refuse. As he watched Eva leave before the door closed, Bernal suddenly thought of something. ¡°Oh yes, Mother, where¡¯s Alia?¡± Eva froze at the sound of an unfamiliar girl¡¯s name coming from Bernal¡¯s mouth. She began to wonder who Alia was. Eva, who had been with Bernal all night, did not know about Alia. ¡°Who¡¯s Alia?¡± Eva placed her hand on the door handle and looked at Bernal in confusion. ¡°The maid that came back with me. My maid.¡± Eva found Bernal¡¯s emphasis on ownership adorable. ¡°I¡¯ll help you ask around. Now behave and lay on your bed.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Watching Eva leave the room, Bernal lay in bed and closed his eyes to sense the power in his body. Gulp gulp! When a familiar voice entered his ear, Bernal opened his eyes again. By the time he did, the pupils of his left eye had already turned into the shape of a crown. Bernal looked at the flowers that were placed on his balcony for decoration. The black tide surged, and the flowers were instantly swarmed. Crash! The waves crashed down, and Bernal withdrew it quickly. The flowers remained on the spot as decorations. On the surface, it seemed like nothing had changed. At most, the flowers on the balcony looked more vibrant and beautiful than the ones outside. At this moment, a butterfly seemed to be attracted by the flower and flew over. When the butterfly stopped on the flower, time seemed to stop. Then, its body began to dissipate like a sand statue. In the end, the butterfly turned into tiny particles that were devoured by the flowers. The flowers that absorbed the butterflies swayed with the wind. They looked ever so gorgeous. Bernal nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Not bad.¡± Bernal had treated the failed products from previous experiments as fertilizer, and he transferred the nutritional content into the flowers. As for the modification of the flowers, he did not interfere too much with the insides of the flowers. He only injected nutrients and energy that they could withstand inside, helping the flowers absorb all the nutrients. As for what would happen and what the outcome would be, Bernal did not know either. Just like the lottery, Bernal was also curious about the results. Looking at the flowers on the window sill, Bernal could vaguely sense their emotions. Have they evolved? Knock! Knock! While Bernal was thinking, there was a knock on the door. Bernal looked outside the door as if he had sensed something. He didn¡¯t put away the black tide. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and Alia walked in with a tray. ¡°Master.¡± Bernal nodded. He looked at Alia, who was holding a plate, and asked in puzzlement, ¡°Are you alone?¡± Bernal was surprised when he sensed only Alia at first. He almost thought that there was a problem with his perception. He did not expect that his father and mother would be so relieved to let Alia act alone. Alia first served the plate to Bernal before explaining, ¡°Yes, my lady was summoned by the margrave.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Bernal did not doubt her. He ignored the food on the plate and focused on Alia. After observing Alia with his left eye for a while, Bernal¡¯s pupils returned to normal. He looked at the silent Alia and suddenly asked, ¡°Do you feel anything special?¡± ¡°Well?¡± Alia looked at Bernal questioningly. Why did he ask? Seeing that nothing was wrong with Alia, Bernal was relieved. Very well, it seemed that the dream was working well, and Rogeria did not seem to have any signs of waking up. ¡°Forget it. You can slowly adapt to life here. I¡¯ll get Carrie to guide you as a maid. You better learn from her.¡± Carrie was the head maid of the Nielson family, who was usually in charge of all the maids in the mansion. As he said this, Bernal suddenly thought of a question. Was Carrie alive in this attack? It would be troublesome if Carrie died. Alia had no objections to Bernal¡¯s arrangement. ¡°Okay.¡± Looking at the obedient Alia, Bernal was satisfied. ¡°They didn¡¯t make things difficult for you, did they?¡± He asked in concern. Alia looked at Bernal questioningly, clearly not knowing what he meant by making things difficult. It had been less than two days since her consciousness was born. As a human, Alia had much to learn.. Chapter 23 - When Reproductive Isolation is Erased... Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It had been more than half a month since the attack, and everything seemed to have returned to normal. Although the kind old butler was gone, the head maid, Carrie, survived the ordeal. Under her lead, Alia quickly mastered the various skills needed to be a maid. ¡°What should we do today?¡± During this period, Bernal would go to the courtyard to play every morning. ¡°Good morning, Bernal!¡± Eva beamed at Bernal¡¯s cheerfulness. Eva was already satisfied to be able to see her child like this. ¡°Are you going out to play today too?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Bernal took a picture book from Alia and nodded at Eva in excitement. He claimed that he was going to the courtyard to paint. Eva expressed her support for her child¡¯s hobby. She was happy that her child could remain cheerful and strong after everything that had happened. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far. I¡¯m going out with your father today. You must be careful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°Alia, I¡¯ll leave Bernal in your care. Remember to inform Victor if anything happens.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my lady.¡± After that incident, Bernal did not know what his father had seen. He only knew that his father transferred Victor and the knights to the mansion to become guards of the Nielson family not long after the incident. It seemed like a form of trust and gratitude to Victor since guarding the family was relatively safer. However, Bernal felt that this was likely a precaution against Victor and the others. However, nevertheless, it helped him. With Victor covering for him, he could do more. After waving goodbye to his mother, Eva, Bernal rushed to the courtyard with his picture book in his arms. When he reached a place where his mother could not see him, Bernal casually threw the book to Alia. Drawing pictures was only a pretense. What Bernal wanted to do was something more interesting than this. Gulp gulp! A black tide surged as a night bat ape appeared within. This night bat ape was currently in a deep sleep, and its injuries had long healed. Anyone who saw it would think that it was a healthy Night Bat Ape. Looking at the familiar figure, Alia asked curiously, ¡°Are we going to carry out the breeding experiment today?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t decided on it yet. I don¡¯t know what kind of creature to use as the fetus¡¯s father.¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious that humans are out of the question. The ones bred are either foolish gorillas or man-bats who are afraid of the sun.¡± Bernal, who had been thinking of his modification game for a while, discovered to his surprise that the final night bat ape he had was actually a female. This discovery piqued Bernal¡¯s interest. To be precise, he was extremely interested in the Night Bat Ape¡¯s uterus. A bold idea surfaced in his mind. Could he mate other creatures with the Night Bat Ape to create a new species? Under normal circumstances, this was certainly impossible. Reproductive isolation existed between different species, which Bernal had long known in the previous world. However, if he used Rogeria¡¯s power, he wondered if he could resolve the problem of reproductive isolation to test his hypothesis. Anyway, it would not hurt to give it a try. Before long, Bernal was surprised to find that it was really possible. Not only could Rogeria¡¯s power eliminate reproductive isolation, but it could also allow two unrelated creatures to combine. He could also accelerate the breeding process and see the results quickly. Since it was confirmed to be feasible, Bernal immediately put it into practice. He immediately got Victor to find and capture other creatures for him. If anyone asked, they would brush it off with Bernal¡¯s request to draw them. Over the past few days, Bernal tried countless combinations. The number of life forms that he bred were innumerable. However, there was nothing much that impressed him. They were all too ordinary. ¡°Should we try with humans?¡± Hearing Alia¡¯s suggestion, Bernal looked at her with a puzzled look. ¡°Didn¡¯t we try that already?¡± ¡°Is that knight really a human?¡± Alia¡¯s retort froze Bernal for a while, but then he realized what she meant. I guess it makes sense! Victor had undergone his own modification. Although he still had the appearance of a human, his insides had undergone a complete transformation. It might not be appropriate to call him a human. Bernal thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Makes sense. Let¡¯s find an ordinary person to try it out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get Victor.¡± ¡°Wait, no need for that now.¡± Looking at Alia, who was about to get up and leave, Bernal suddenly raised his hand to stop her. ¡°It suddenly occurred to me that since Victor is not a human anymore, what about me? ¡°Alia, what do I look like to you compared to others?¡± Facing Bernal¡¯s question, Alia looked at him and answered without hesitation. ¡°An even more advanced existence.¡± ¡°What about me compared to Victor?¡± ¡°Victor is garbage.¡± It was another quick answer. Bernal nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what will happen if I infuse my genetic material into the body of the Night Bat Ape?¡± ¡°It¡¯s decided. It will be the topic of today.¡± Bernal sprung to action as he stood beside the night bat ape and raised a finger to point at its abdomen. A drop of blood fell from Bernal¡¯s finger and fused into the Night Bat Ape¡¯s body under Alia¡¯s gaze. Gulp gulp! The black tide surged and instantly swallowed the Night Bat Ape. Bernal proceeded with the rest of the procedure without much thought. He was already familiar with it. Her pupils had transformed to the shape of a crown. At the same time, Alia sensed a strong sense of familiarity from Bernal. She unconsciously approached Bernal. Bernal was aware of Alia¡¯s actions. These days, whenever he used Rogeria¡¯s power, Alia would approach him. At first, he was a little surprised. Though as time passed, he got used to it. ¡°I wonder what will happen?¡± As my offspring, you must be very powerful. While he fantasized about how handsome, heroic, and cool his child would become, Bernal clearly overlooked something. As the offspring¡¯s father, he might be handsome. However, the mother was only an ugly and lowly night bat ape. How well off could a child combined from the two be? Chapter 24 - The Mage From the Capital Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°What is this?¡± He waited in anticipation for the results. Yet, in the end, not a single human-like feature appeared. The smile froze on Bernal¡¯s face. Why did this happen? Is this normal? Or is this only an exception? He looked at the huge, strange octopus-like creature before him. Bernal began to wonder if it was his fault or if this female Night Bat Ape was broken and could no longer be used. As Bernal pondered, the new life that just came into this world seemed to sense his disdain, and it looked a little miserable. Several tentacles flopped, and the bat wings on its back drooped. Upon seeing this, Bernal had mixed feelings. ¡°Although it doesn¡¯t look good, it didn¡¯t die immediately. It even has some intelligence. It feels like I¡¯ve succeeded, but it also feels like I didn¡¯t.¡± Compared to the failed product he had disposed of previously, the new life in front of him that was still tenaciously alive and had even displayed a certain amount of emotion and intelligence should be considered a great success. However¡­ Bernal was deep in thought. He scrutinized the strange creature. It is too ugly. Also, why an octopus¡¯s body? Even if I¡¯ve strayed slightly from the human race because of the contract, I¡¯m still human now! Why is my child an octopus? To be precise, it was an octopus with a pair of ape arms, bat wings, and a human face. It was very strange. If an ordinary person saw this, the timid ones would probably be frightened to death. Strange indeed! Placing his finger on its forehead, Bernal dragged his chin and tilted his head in thought. ¡°Should I just get rid of it?¡± Upon hearing this, the little guy¡¯s tentacles began to move restlessly. Its reaction piqued Bernal¡¯s interest. ¡°Oh? You clearly don¡¯t understand, but you seem to be able to understand what I mean?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s probably because my senses are too sharp. Interesting.¡± Looking at the little guy wrapping his fingers and acting spoiled, Bernal suddenly felt that it was not that ugly. After some thought, Bernal gave up on the idea of dealing with it. ¡°No matter what, you¡¯re my first child. I¡¯ll let you off first.¡± However, if he did not deal with it, his arrangements for the offspring would become an issue. If he brought it with him, what should he say if his parents asked? Say that this is my pet? Or should I admit that this is my child? No matter what, the child could not escape the fate of death. Bernal was a little helpless as he looked at the little guy who began to play with his fingers. ¡°If you were better-looking, I wouldn¡¯t be in such a dilemma. What¡¯s the use of having you!¡± The little guy seemed to have sensed Bernal¡¯s intent, and its eyes turned red as tears welled up. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± Looking at the pitiful little guy, Bernal finally gave up on the option of abandoning him. ¡°Fine, you have to be good. If someone finds you, then you have to get away from me as far as possible. I won¡¯t want you anymore.¡± If he placed it in his black current and released it when no one was around, it should not become a problem. After some thought, Bernal decided where the little guy was going. Bernal¡¯s interest was piqued as he looked at the little guy who seemed to be at ease. The killing intent in his heart increased, but he did not express it. He just stared at the child quietly. The next moment, the child immediately became teary-eyed again. The tentacles wrapped around Bernal¡¯s fingers, and its hairless ape arms hugged Bernal¡¯s fingers tightly, not daring to let go. Seeing this, Bernal gave up on the idea and thought of something else. The little guy¡¯s reaction changed instantly. It was first relieved, then focused on playing with Bernal¡¯s fingers. Amused by the little guy¡¯s interesting reaction, Bernal finally accepted its existence. He wondered what it would look like when it grew up. Although it was born from the Night Bat Ape¡¯s uterus, the little guy was only the size of a palm. Therefore, although it was not pretty now, Bernal found it more and more pleasing to the eye as he looked at it. He found it ugly cute. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a name first. A name is important.¡± No matter what, it was his child. Although its appearance was not great, it must have a cool-sounding title. ¡°Although it¡¯s not good-looking, it must have a handsome name. Got it!¡± No matter what, it was a descendant of an Evil God, and his real name was still important. At this moment, Bernal began to recall the books he had read in this world. The knowledge learned from the two worlds flashed through Bernal¡¯s mind at this moment, providing him with some suggestions. Bernal thought for a moment and looked at the little guy. The little guy seemed to know what was going on as well. It was actually looking at Bernal with anticipation. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Calhemus. I remember it¡¯s an ancient word from a book I¡¯ve read somewhere. It has the meaning of controlling the raging waves. You better not disappoint me.¡± The moment Bernal confirmed its name, the little guy, no, Calhemus, had sensed something and seemed exhilarated. As the tentacles waved, faint noises of crashing waves sounded. Crash! Right at this moment, Eva¡¯s voice sounded in the courtyard. ¡°Bernal~¡± ¡°Where are you? Bernal~¡± Bernal looked up in surprise. He turned in the direction of the voice. ¡°Mother, and Father, they¡¯re back so soon?¡± Looking at Calhemus, Bernal summoned the black tide to suck him in. ¡°Be good and stay here, alright?¡± ¡°Woo!¡± Perhaps because of the name, Bernal felt that it became more intelligent. At this moment, he didn¡¯t have much time to study it in depth. He kept the night bat ape that was lying on the ground. Bernal stood up and took the completed picture book from Alia. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± After confirming that there were no mistakes, Bernal took the initiative to walk to his parents along with Alia. When Bernal stood in front of Eva and Moss, he saw an unfamiliar figure beside them. ¡°Come here, Bernal. Let us introduce you to Mage Kulenna from the capital.¡± Seeing Bernal¡¯s gaze, Kulenna took off his magic hat and bowed to Bernal. ¡°Greetings, the young master of the Nielson family. It¡¯s my pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°Hello..¡± Chapter 25 - Useless? No, Hes A Genius! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Kulenna? What a weird name. Bernal looked at him in puzzlement. When Kulenna took off his magic hat, Bernal noticed that he had unique ears. Sharp and slender ears were the characteristics of elves. An elven mage from the capital? It shouldn¡¯t be. Liluca is a human kingdom, and it¡¯s essentially impossible for there to be a mage from another race. This kingdom was not Enchika, the magic kingdom. It was almost impossible to attract foreign mages to work here. In that case, the mage might have been a half-elf, a so-called mixed-blood. While Bernal was observing Kulenna, Kulenna was also studying Bernal. His emerald eyes sparkled with a unique glint. Noticing Kulenna¡¯s gaze, Moss asked, ¡°How is it? Did you see anything odd?¡± Moss¡¯ tone was very calm, and his voice was lackluster. However, the moment he said it, it immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Bernal looked at the two of them questioningly. What is he looking for in me? He could tell that his parents did not bring this mage here only to introduce him. Bernal¡¯s puzzled gaze landed on Kulenna as he began to guess. Why is this guy here? As he felt everyone¡¯s attention on him, Kulenna paused and slowly said. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything for the time being. I can only sense that there is quite a bit of power in Young Master Nielson¡¯s body.¡± Kulenna seemed fastidious as if he had weighed every word for a long time. It made him gently speak as if he was singing. It sounded soothing, while Kulenna¡¯s voice was unique, making one feel at peace after hearing it. ¡°The talentless appearance should be false.¡± ¡°Really? In that case, our Bernal isn¡¯t talentless?¡± Eva was excited. She looked at Bernal, who had yet to react, and hugged him. ¡°Mother.¡± Bernal seemed to be at a loss. ¡°Did you hear that, Bernal? Master Kulenna said that you might be a genius.¡± Other than Bernal himself, Moss and Eva were equally concerned about Bernal¡¯s talent. ¡°As a child of the Nielson family, even if he is born with a lack of talent, he can still make up for it through hard work.¡± The Nielson family was a family of experts who had guarded the border for generations. Every generation, a level-nine warrior would appear. Their bloodline had undergone a benign transformation unknowingly. In such circumstances, a child without any talent was born. There were only two possibilities. Either this was not Margrave Moss¡¯s child, or this child was too talented. Sometimes, a person¡¯s talent might be so high that they seem to have no talent at all. Many famous heroes in history had kept a low profile when they were younger, looking like ordinary humans. It was not because these people were really ordinary, but because their talent was too high. Typically, this type of person hid terrifying power in their bodies. Their bodies could not withstand all of this. Therefore, being too talented was not necessarily a good thing. It could also be a curse. Kulenna briefly explained this theory to Moss and Eva. Hearing that her precious son was not useless but too powerful, Eva was both happy and worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Nielson. I¡¯m here to solve this problem.¡± Kulenna looked at Bernal with a burning gaze. After learning about Bernal, Kulenna knew that his chance had arrived. Bernal was wrong. Kulenna was not a mixed-blood but a purebred elf. As Bernal had thought, the status of a purebred elven mage was rather awkward in a human kingdom. Although he was called a master, some discrimination was inevitable. Only Kulenna knew the bitterness of this. But he did not regret coming to this nation. It was just that if possible, he hoped that this nation could embrace him. For this reason, he took the initiative to visit after finding out about Bernal. If he could nurture a hero or even a legend for the Kingdom of Liluca as the hero¡¯s mentor, his status would definitely rise. At that time, the country¡¯s discrimination of him would be much smaller. ¡°Young Master Nielson is likely a future hero who has a chance of leaving his name in history.¡± ¡°I will guide Young Master Nielson well.¡± Mos looked at the excited and excited Kulenna with thoughts in his mind. He knew about Kulenna¡¯s situation, so he did not have any objections to the visit. However, from Kulenna¡¯s reaction, it was likely that he had suffered more than Moss had imagined. Still, this was a good thing for him. The worse the situation was for Kulenna, the more effort it would be for the other party to educate his child in order to change this situation. With this thought in mind, Moss felt relieved as he watched silently for the time being. ¡°In the past, many heroes only lasted for a while before they were out of the spotlight. It is because they didn¡¯t have the right person to guide them. ¡°I hereby swear that I will teach Young Master Nielson to the best of my abilities.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave it to you, Master Kulenna.¡± Hearing Kulenna¡¯s solemn vow, Eva replied seriously. A magic teacher? No, it seemed like it was not only magic but also battle aura and combat skills. Elves were born with an affinity to nature. Every elf had great magical talent. Because of this, many people would often subconsciously ignore the other talents of the elves. In addition to their outstanding magical talent, every elf was a natural assassin and archer. They also had considerable talent in the battle aura and combat skills. Therefore, excellent elves often cultivated both magic and combat skills. Bernal looked at Kulenna, who sensed his gaze, and smiled back. Looking at Kulenna, Bernal sighed. He did not expect that his talent was not as bad as he imagined. Instead, it was too good. However, if Bernal found out about it months ago, he might be excited to know the truth. Now, Bernal no longer cared about this. It was meaningless. Bernal had already signed a contract with Rogeria, and he was no longer interested in magic or combat skills. Still¡­ Looking at his mother, who was notably excited, and his father, who was silently watching him, Bernal gave a big smile and waved at Kulenna. ¡°Then please guide me in the future, Teacher Kulenna.¡± ¡°It is my honor, Young Master Nielson..¡± Chapter 26 - Activation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Since the matter became more or less decided, Eva left Bernal and Kulenna alone. ¡°We¡¯ll leave it to you two. We won¡¯t disturb you for now.¡± ¡°Bernal, you must listen to Master Kulenna.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Bernal replied obediently, reassuring Eva. After that, Eva and Moss left first. Before she left, Eva glanced at Alia, who was behind Bernal, clearly intent on bringing her along. But then again, she did not do that for Bernal¡¯s sake. As the two left, Kulenna looked at Alia, who was left behind, in surprise. Under the illumination of his eyes, some of her details gradually became clearer. There are no signs of training. She¡¯s an ordinary person? After some thought, Kulenna ignored him and pretended that she did not exist. Meanwhile, Alia seemed to sense something. She tilted her head, her exquisite eyes reflecting Kulenna¡¯s figure like she wanted to remember him. No one noticed that Alia¡¯s pupils had changed slightly. However, this change only lasted for a while before returning to normal. Bernal seemed to sense something. He looked at Alia and was puzzled when he saw that everything was normal. Was it an illusion? Feeling Bernal¡¯s gaze, Alia turned to give him a quizzical look. Bernal shook his head to show that he was fine, then looked at his new teacher. Watching the interaction between Bernal and Alia, Kulenna understood the relationship between the master and servant a little. They had a high level of chemistry and seemed to be on good terms. In that case, there was no need to avoid her deliberately. Kulenna was not surprised by a special servant like Alia. Essentially, every noble would have one to two or even more servants who were close to them. ¡°Teacher, what should we do first?¡± Bernal was rather interested in the training. Though currently, he might not need to use this method to become stronger. Hearing Bernal¡¯s words, Kulenna smiled gently and took out a crystal ball. ¡°Logically speaking, Young Master should start with strengthening your body.¡± Upon hearing this, Kulenna could clearly sense a fluctuation in Bernal¡¯s emotions. It was also within his expectations. Compared to physical training, children of this age were more interested in magic. Therefore, Kulenna gave up on following the traditional path from the beginning. ¡°Well, I have a different opinion on this.¡± These words piqued Bernal¡¯s interest again. ¡°We¡¯ll begin learning magic first. In my opinion, the concern with Young Master Nielson¡¯s foundation is not only your limited physical endurance. It is also the case when you can¡¯t control your power. ¡°Compared to physical training, learning magic can train your mental strength. Moreover, it¡¯s more helpful to control your strength because of your interactions with various elemental energies.¡± Kulenna¡¯s theory was simple. As long as you could control the energy in your body not to hurt you, then even if your body was not strong enough, you could use a portion of the power without any side effects. Bernal nodded with some anticipation. ¡°To learn magic, we must first test your mental strength. ¡°Generally speaking, if your mental strength isn¡¯t good, then you¡¯re not suitable to be a mage.¡± Bernal also had some understanding of this. Back then, during the test, he thought that he would surely do fine. He was a transmigrator, after all, and his mental power should be pretty good. However, the outcome disappointed him greatly. Looking at Bernal, who was deep in his memories, Kulenna smiled and replied in a gentle voice, ¡°Young Master Nielson, are you thinking about the previous tests?¡± Bernal looked up and nodded. He was indeed thinking about the test. ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to worry, Young Master Nielson. At that time, your power was still in slumber, so it would naturally not be detected.¡± With that, a gentle green light emitted from Kulenna¡¯s hand. Then, a magic circle appeared in his hand, and it covered Bernal. Such warmth! When the light enveloped Bernal, he felt extremely comfortable. At this moment, Kulenna¡¯s voice sounded in his ear. ¡°Come, I have already performed a strengthening spell for you. With your body strength now, you should be able to temporarily activate a portion of the hidden energy in your body.¡± Saying this, Kulenna handed the crystal ball to Bernal. ¡°Here, Young Master Nielson, let me see your talent now.¡± Bernal grabbed the crystal ball with both hands, then looked up at Kulenna. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Put your hand on the crystal ball and hold it tightly. ¡°Then, you can try to think of something in your mind. ¡°Be it something that makes you happy or angry. ¡°In any case, use any means to stir up your emotions.¡± Following Kulenna¡¯s instructions, Bernal closed his eyes and focused on the crystal ball in his hand. ¡°Focus. Starting now¡­ Think. Try your best to think of the things that leave the deepest impression on you. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s anger or joy¡­¡± Seeing Bernal close his eyes according to his instructions, Kulenna began to focus at this moment. What followed was the most important part of the test. He was about to activate the power in Bernal¡¯s body now. It was actually a very dangerous process. If the activated energy exceeded Bernal¡¯s endurance, it would likely have an irreversible effect on Bernal. At the thought of this, Kulenna could not help but feel nervous, even if he was confident in his abilities. At this moment, Bernal closed his eyes and began to recall everything he had experienced in the previous world. He also recalled what he had encountered after coming to this world. At the same time, as Bernal¡¯s mood changed, some differences began to appear in the crystal ball. Light spots slowly surfaced in the crystal ball. Upon seeing this, Kulenna knew that the test had begun. It was time for him to take action. With this thought, Kulenna extended his hand, and a strange-looking staff appeared in his hand. It looked more like a small tree than a staff. As the staff appeared in his hand, Kulenna¡¯s expression turned solemn.. Chapter 27 - An Unfortunate Situation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Kulenna closed his eyes and solemnly chanted the spell. Out of caution, he chose not to skip the recitation and completed every step of the spell. A simple and elegant melody sounded from Kulenna¡¯s mouth. The edge of Alia¡¯s pupils began to turn incorporeal as if something was about to come out. With the last syllable completed, Kulenna placed the staff in his hand in front of Bernal. Everything became different. A special wave passed through Bernal¡¯s body. Bernal¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, his pupils turning into the shape of a crown under the expectant gaze of Kulenna. Gulp gulp! The black sea reflected in Kulenna¡¯s eyes. What power is this? Kulenna was first startled before he realized that the black water was pouncing on him. Not good, something has happened! Bernal¡¯s power had gone berserk. As he sensed the ominous power, a magic barrier appeared in front of Kulenna as he held his staff tightly. An urgent and high-frequency incantation chanted from Kulenna¡¯s mouth. He was no longer as elegant as before. He waved his hands forcefully, and the leaves on the tree-shaped staff fluttered. A few pieces fell off. There was no doubt about Kulenna¡¯s abilities to be titled a master. In the face of the unexpected event, he dealt with it immediately. The black tide calmed down. As the black water receded, Kulenna immediately looked at Bernal, who was still in the middle of the test. How things turned out had exceeded his expectations. He could not care about anything else as his top priority was to ensure Bernal¡¯s safety. ¡°Young Master Nielson, are you alright?¡± He quickly arrived in front of Bernal and stepped on the black water without stirring up any waves. At this moment, something altered in the crystal ball in Bernal¡¯s hand. The crystal ball that was initially like a starry sky was now as black as ink. Kulenna subconsciously looked over. With a closer inspection, his expression changed drastically. Red threads surfaced on the crystal ball. As red and black intertwined, a pattern appeared on the crystal ball. Bernal recognized the pattern as it was similar to the evil god mark of Rogeria. Still, there was a difference between the two. In the evil god mark that he had seen before, the curves of Rogeria¡¯s body were clearer. However, what appeared on the crystal ball was even more hazy, giving people a more mysterious feeling. Just as Bernal carefully distinguished the difference between the pattern on the crystal ball and the mark of the Evil God, Kulenna also saw this mark. Instantly, he looked terrified. ¡°This unsettling and manic power, as well as this mark. It can¡¯t be wrong. This is¡­¡± At this moment, Kulenna suddenly felt something. He turned around abruptly and looked at Alia. His expression twisted. His eyes were filled with terror as if he had seen something extremely terrifying. ¡°You, you are!¡± Just as Kulenna¡¯s attention focused on Alia, a tender voice sounded behind him. ¡°It¡¯s a pity. I wanted to build a good relationship with you and get along well with you.¡± The moment he heard the voice, Kulenna felt his shoulders sink. Through the touch, he believed that Bernal had placed his chin on his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you know too much. You left me with no choice. Come and become my toy.¡± Kulenna tried to look back. However, he realized that no matter how he struggled, he could not move at all. ¡°Great, I¡¯m just curious. What would your child with the Night Bat Ape be like?¡± Having Kulenna swallowed by the black water, Bernal turned to Alia. At this moment, Alia looked over. The two of them looked at each other for a long time before Bernal finally asked, ¡°How do you feel?¡± Alia tilted her head and thought for a moment. She then looked at Bernal and said with uncertainty. ¡°Great?¡± ¡°Why the questioning tone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± When he reached Alia, Bernal focused on her with his eyes that bore the mark of a crown. ¡°Any changes?¡± The development of the matter had exceeded his expectations. He did not expect a proper test would result in this situation. He had no choice but to turn this person who was about to become his teacher into his toy. What was more unexpected was that Kulenna¡¯s magic affected others in the vicinity. It led to the possibility that something had happened to her maidservant, Alia, that exceeded her expectations. It attracted Bernal¡¯s attention. He was curious whether it would wake up Rogeria inside Alia. However, things did not seem to have reached that stage. In the face of Bernal¡¯s question, the hem of Alia¡¯s dress moved, and then familiar tentacles poked out from underneath. ¡°Does this count?¡± Shaking her tentacles, Alia looked at Bernal. Bernal whistled, and the pupil of his right eye changed form at this moment. He secretly raised his guard as he asked Alia, ¡°Cool. Anything else?¡± Looking at her tentacle, Alia could feel that this was a part of her. She had the feeling that everything was as it should be. Therefore, Alia did not feel any discomfort after the tentacles appeared. When she got questioned again, Alia shook her head. ¡°Not for the time being.¡± Bernal relaxed a little as his gaze lingered on Alia¡¯s face. It seemed like there were no signs of waking up. Although he was not afraid of her because of the contract, it was different for people around him. He could not protect anyone against Rogeria yet. A familiar tentacle emerged from the depths of the black sea. When Alia looked at these tentacles, she felt a sense of familiarity. She looked at Bernal, who controlled the tentacles to wrap around Alia¡¯s arm. Then he said, ¡°Want to play together?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Alia did not refuse and will never decline. ¡°Let me teach you how to use them.¡± Bernal seemed excited. Then¡­ ¡°Why are you so good?¡± Bernal looked at the tentacles that bound him and looked at Alia gloomily. On the other hand, Alia¡¯s expression was more lively now. She seemed in a good mood. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It feels like I¡¯m just doing whatever I want.¡± To Alia, the tentacles were like her arms, a part of her. She would naturally know how to control them. Just as Bernal was about to continue playing with Alia, he heard Eva¡¯s voice coming from afar. ¡°Bernal, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± ¡°Oh shoot, it¡¯s already mealtime!¡± Chapter 28 - Jealousy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After scrambling for a while, Bernal released Kulenna and welcomed his mother with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Bernal jogged along, then ran into Eva¡¯s arms. Eva could not help but smile at how happy Bernal was. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re here at the right time. I¡¯m hungry.¡± Hearing this, Eva held Bernal¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s have our dinner. Where¡¯s Master Kulenna?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, ma¡¯am.¡± At this moment, the black water on his body had already receded. Kulenna, whose consciousness had been affected by Bernal¡¯s contamination, walked up with a normal expression. Eva asked excitedly. ¡°Master, how¡¯s Bernal?¡± Although she had been told that Bernal was not talentless, he was a genuine genius. However, Eva still felt as if she were dreaming. Therefore, the moment she saw Kulenna, she asked about Bernal¡¯s training progress. ¡°It¡¯s going very smoothly. I¡¯ve already activated a portion of the energy in Young Master Nielson¡¯s body. All I need to do now is teach Young Master Nielson how to use it, and the training will be on track.¡± Kulenna said slowly. In order to reassure Eva, Bernal raised his hand and said proudly, ¡°Mother, look! My new power!¡± Light condensed, and an energy ball gathered in Bernal¡¯s hand. However, it quickly disappeared, and Bernal¡¯s expression became dejected. Eva could not help but feel proud of Bernal¡¯s performance. While she was feeling proud, she looked at the dejected Bernal and comforted him with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious, my child. I believe that with Master Kulenna¡¯s help, you will surely be able to control your powers fully and become a powerful person one day.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hearing Eva¡¯s words of comfort, Bernal pulled himself together and nodded firmly. ¡°When I become stronger, I want to be like my father. I want to protect Mother and Liluca!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for this day.¡± Eva was ecstatic to hear what Bernal said. She had a feeling that good things had happened one after another since the attack. Her mood had never been that good either. The bliss made her feel like she was in a dream. Eva brought Bernal and Kulenna to the dining room, followed by Alia. On the way, the servants in Nielson¡¯s house bowed when they saw the three of them. Though when their eyes landed on Alia, a strange emotion grew in their hearts. She was clearly an outsider, but she could get so close to their young master, Nielson¡¯s future heir. Jealousy. The servants were deeply jealous of Alia¡¯s current treatment and her status. Meanwhile, the emotions of some maids became profound. To them, Alia¡¯s ignorant appearance was a disguise. In reality, Alia¡¯s heart was extremely vicious. What annoyed these maids the most was Alia¡¯s appearance. It was simply too perfect. Any man would become tempted when they see Alia. Even Moss was spellbound for a few seconds in the beginning because he had never seen such a beautiful person. The more beautiful and perfect an object was, the more people wanted to destroy it and leave their marks on it. It was the same for women and men. Under such circumstances, except for Moss, Eva and Bernal, every servant was filled with hostility towards Alia. Alia was already used to these covetous and hostile gazes. It was more appropriate to say that she was not bothered by it from the beginning. Neither Bernal nor Alia had ever bothered about their thoughts. When they arrived at the dining room, the dining table was already filled with sumptuous dishes. Soon, everyone sat down, and Alia sat on Bernal¡¯s left. Yes, as a maid, Alia was actually eating at the same table as her master. And it was at the front. It could be said to be an unprecedented event, but it had happened just like that. Kulenna looked at Alia in surprise. Although his mind had been corrupted, he still retained a portion of his consciousness and self-awareness. It was just that he was now under Bernal¡¯s orders. Therefore, he had such a reaction when he saw Alia take a seat beside Bernal. Both Moss and Eva ignored Kulenna¡¯s expression, having no intention of explaining. To a certain extent, it was a sizable scandal. However, they had no choice. After all, Alia was the savior of his son, and Bernal relied on her. Seeing that neither Moss nor Eva had any reaction, Kulenna did not probe further tactfully. ¡°Thank you so much for coming, Master Kulenna. You have our gratitude.¡± Moss raised the wine glass in his hand and gestured at Kulenna. The latter also raised his glass in response. ¡°You flatter me, my lord. I have to thank my lord for his trust in me. It¡¯s my honor to be Young Master Nielson¡¯s teacher.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Moss was not good with words, so he only nodded. Eva smiled and said, ¡°After a busy day, Master Kulenna must be starving. It is the first time we¡¯re hosting an elf. I wonder if this is to your liking.¡± Different races had different eating habits. For example, the elves generally refused to eat meat. They believed that the meat of most animals and monsters was filthy. As for the ones they raised, they were considered comrades who fought with them. They were like family members and would naturally not eat them. Hence, elves would essentially never single bite of meat in their entire lives. It was not until this moment that Bernal realized that Kulenna was not a mixed-blood but a purebred elf. He looked at Kulenna in surprise, curious as to why a purebred elf would take up a post in the human kingdom. He felt that there must be a fascinating story behind this. It seemed like he could look forward to the bedtime story these few days. With this thought, Bernal looked at today¡¯s dinner. Most of them were vegetarian. Clearly, it was specially arranged for Kulenna. The smile on Kulenna¡¯s face brightened up when he saw the exquisite food. ¡°Please don¡¯t mind. I didn¡¯t avoid meat in the past few years while living in Liluca.¡± Despite his words, Kulenna was still delighted to taste the delicious fruits and vegetables.. Chapter 29 - Calhemus in Trouble Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The appearance of Kulenna brought much convenience to Bernal¡¯s life. Kulenna, who had lived for countless years, could be said to be a walking encyclopedia. Essentially, he knew a little about everything. Bernal was most satisfied with Kulenna¡¯s arrival as it allowed him to leave the courtyard and head elsewhere. As long as it was in the name of training, Bernal could explore outside with Kulenna. He now had relatively more freedom. ¡°Let¡¯s see what monsters we can catch this time.¡± With more freedom, Bernal felt that the number of materials in his hand was too small. He only had a Night Bat Ape, so during this period, Bernal would soak in the magical forest from time to time in search of monsters that could become his maternal body. Bernal had already captured every common monster. He was now looking for rarer and more terrifying monsters. On the way into the forest, no one noticed that Bernal¡¯s shadow wriggled and rippled. Then, a small head popped out from within. After Bernal and the others arrived in the monster forest, Calhemus, who had acutely sensed the scent of freedom, immediately came out of the black tide. Squeak! ¡°Since you¡¯re here, get out and play. Remember to come back when I call you. Otherwise, I won¡¯t want you anymore.¡± Upon hearing Calhemus¡¯s movements, Bernal pointed at its head. After obtaining permission, Calhemus rubbed Bernal¡¯s fingers, then quickly sped into the forest. After the small episode, Bernal, Alia, and Kulenna continued to explore the demonic forest. ¡°I feel that the number of monsters lately has decreased significantly.¡± After walking for a while, Bernal looked a little puzzled. He felt that he had walked for a long time, but he had yet to encounter a single monster. This is strange. What is going on? Where did all the monsters go? Why couldn¡¯t he see a single shadow until now? ¡°The demonic creatures have been acting strangely recently. Something must have happened in the forest, right?¡± Kulenna guessed with uncertainty. He stood beside Bernal and looked around with his attention highly focused. Although he had yet to see a single monster, Kulenna would not let down his guard. After all, this was the infamous demonic forest, after all. If he thought that there was no danger here just because they did not encounter any monsters after taking a few steps into the forest, then he was undoubtedly wrong. ¡°This time, we¡¯ll choose a direction we haven¡¯t been to before. Perhaps we can encounter some different monsters.¡± No one would disagree with Bernal¡¯s suggestion. The three of them headed deeper into the forest. Meanwhile, Calhemus began to wander around. He looked around. Everything in the forest was new to him. Ever since he was born, his movements had been restricted, and he had been in the black tide without any light all day long. Thus, Calhemus cherished the time he had now. Growl! At this moment, some mixed sounds entered his ears. Huh? What¡¯s that sound? Calhemus flew toward the direction of the sound. As he passed through the layers of trees, Calhemus kept flying. He kept flying. Suddenly, Calhemus sensed that something was wrong. He looked around, tilted his head, and began to think. Didn¡¯t I just come here? He kept feeling like he was going in circles. After some thought, Calhemus¡¯s tentacle hit a tree beside him. The tiny tentacles brushed against the bark of the tree. After doing all of this, Calhemus nodded in satisfaction and flew deeper. Not long after Calhemus flew away, the color of the tree he touched began to fade, and the surface started to wither. If someone were to observe closely at this moment, they would find that the tree had dried up from inside, and there was not a single drop of water in the tree. When Calhemus¡¯s figure appeared again, he was exasperated when he saw the tree he had absorbed water and life. He looked around and was at a loss as to what to do. What was going on? Was he trapped? Calhemus was somewhat anxious. He began to fly around rapidly. Yet, no matter which direction he flew in, he would eventually see the withered tree. I¡¯m back here again! The tentacles shook uneasily. In that mood, Calhemus waved his arms, his fists hitting the surrounding trees continuously. He needed to vent his frustrations. Right, find my father. If it¡¯s my father, he¡¯ll find a way. Right? Calhemus closed his eyes and began to work hard to sense Bernal¡¯s aura and find him. If he could sense his father, he might be able to extricate himself from this endless cycle. At this moment, something unexpected happened. He felt that his connection with Bernal had cut off. In his perception, he was alone. This discovery thoroughly infuriated Calhemus. His tentacles shook uneasily, and a lot of negative emotions surfaced in his heart in an instant. What is going on? Desperate to find out the answer, Calhemus swung faster and faster. Crash! The sound of surging waves sounded around him. His body, which was initially only the size of a palm, slowly expanded at this moment. Waves of air spread out and hit the tree. He wondered if he destroyed this place, would he still be trapped? The tentacles shook and blocked all the trees that they touched. The water elements in the atmosphere were summoned and gathered around Calhemus. The waves surfaced. The wave surged, trying to drown the entire forest under Calhemus¡¯s control. At the same time, as if sensing something, Alia looked up in a particular direction. It was as if he could see a violent figure wreaking havoc. Alia looked at Bernal, who was confronting his prey not far away. Seeing how excited he was, she thought about it and did not tell him about Calhemus. Bernal had just encountered the first monster of the day. It was a demonic creature that he had never seen before. It was a fire-type lion monster. Its crimson mane was daunting, and its massive, firm body gave off immense pressure. No matter how he looked at it, it was a powerful demonic being. ¡°Explosive Flame Lion? It seems like it got chased out by its own kind.¡± Kulenna observed the Explosive Flame Lion and began to explain to Bernal.. Chapter 30 - Explosive Flame Lion Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Kulenna summoned his staff and stared at the Exploding Flame Lion. The Exploding Flame Lion seemed to have sensed the threat as well. It ignored Bernal and instead turned its head to look at Kulenna, who seemed the most threatening. The elf and the lion looked at each other in a deadlock. During this confrontation, Kulenna did not forget his actual duty. He began to explain the related knowledge about the Explosive Flame Lion to Bernal. ¡°The Explosive Flame Lion is quite a common monster. Usually, adventurers in the wild would avoid them as much as they can.¡± Kulenna did not forget to test the lion during his explanation. He intended to sell a few flaws to the other party, but the Explosive Flame Lion did not rashly act as it became even more cautious. As they faced each other, Kulenna tapped the ground with his staff. Without any chanting, roots grew out of the tree-shaped staff and were planted into the ground. ¡°It¡¯s very experienced and disciplined. There are no other Explosive Flame Lions around either¡­¡± After a round of testing, Kulenna obtained the information he needed. He turned his head and explained to the curious Bernal, ¡°Normally, we would encounter the entire group of Explosive Flame Lions. A lone Explosive Flame Lion like this is quite rare.¡± Bernal looked at the careful Explosive Fire Lion and listened attentively to Kulenna¡¯s explanation. At this moment, he was like a good student who listened attentively, his eyes filled with curiosity. ¡°Why do you say so? From the looks of it, it should be an alpha lion who got chased out after losing out to another alpha lion?¡± ¡°You¡¯re only partially right. This is indeed an alpha lion losing out.¡± Kulenna nodded, confirming Bernal¡¯s guess before he continued, ¡°However, the Explosive Flame Lion has this behavior, whereby when a failed lion leaves, it will have one or two lionesses by its side.¡± He waved the staff in his hand in front of him and attempted to feint his attacks to see the monster¡¯s reaction. As expected, the former alpha lion seemed extremely vigilant against Kulenna¡¯s probing. During this process, Kulenna did not stop his explanation. ¡°The Explosive Flame Lion is a common and widely distributed demonic beast. At the same time, it¡¯s also a powerful one. It¡¯s the best research subject for researchers in demonic creatures. ¡°I once specifically observed and studied this type of monster when I was studying demonic creatures.¡± Waves of green light were released from the staff as they spread toward the Explosive Flame Lion¡¯s body. The Explosive Flame Lion retreated vigilantly in an attempt to dodge, but it discovered that the speed of the light wave was faster than it had imagined. It simply could not avoid it. ¡°After countless scholars had researched on it, they discovered that the reason why the Explosive Flame Lion is so large and widely distributed that they can be seen practically everywhere in the Nyer Continent is because of this characteristic.¡± Upon hearing this, Bernal looked at the Exploding Flame Lion, which was still in the probing stage. Thinking of what Kulenna had said previously, he had an answer. ¡°The losing alpha lion never leaves alone. It¡¯ll create a new branch and find a new place to build a new home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s how it is.¡± Kulenna was not surprised that Bernal could understand it so quickly. The staff in his hand sparkled, then a light blade shot out. The Explosive Flame Lion, which had planned to counterattack, immediately opened its mouth and released scorching flames. The flames and the light blade collided, canceling each other in the air. ¡°There¡¯s no explosion?¡± ¡°A cancel magic, this Exploding Flame Lion has more combat experience than I had imagined.¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed an elderly alpha lion. Only when it enters its later years when its life is about to end will it be chased out alone.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Bernal nodded, showing great interest in this Explosive Flame Lion. Then, Bernal recalled the scene from before and the new term that Kulenna had just said. He asked, ¡°Then what is the cancel magic you mentioned earlier?¡± ¡°A type of combat technique. It would take decades of experience for an ordinary monster to master it. ¡°It is a high-level technique that can only be grasped after years by a mage above level seven.¡± It sounded amazing. ¡°For example, the conventional collision of magic would normally trigger an explosion. ¡°However, if the timing is right and the magic is right, then the two skills will cancel each other out when they collide. Nothing else will happen.¡± Kulenna¡¯s expression turned serious. If they were not careful against an experienced alpha lion, they might be in danger. Growl! After a few rounds of probing, the Explosive Flame Lion also began its attack. The air filled with smoke, and the surrounding temperature was increasing. Raging flames overflowed from the Exploding Flame Lion¡¯s mouth. Then, it opened its mouth, and flames engulfed Kulenna. A lion that breathes fire? I have an idea. Bernal looked at the Explosive Fire Lion battling with Kulenna, and a bright smile appeared on his face. ¡°Indeed. Typically, such alpha lions in their later years do not have much fertility.¡± Looking at Bernal, Alia knew that the fate of this Explosive Flame Lion had been sealed. At the same time, somewhere in the monster forest, Calhemus, who was wantonly destroying the surroundings, was still struggling. A brand new and unprecedented emotion emerged in his heart. If Bernal were beside him, he would definitely understand what was going on. Fear was written on his face. It was the first time Calhemus had ever felt fear since his birth. The fear of the unknown. Everything that had happened to him made Calhemus feel confused and afraid. He could not sense Bernal¡¯s existence, which made him insecure. All of this would become the nourishment for his evolution. As the waves surged, Calhemus looked at the ocean in front of him that he controlled. Bernal¡¯s voice seemed to appear in his mind. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Calhemus¡­ control the raging waves!¡± Crash! The water surged and spread like the sea. As the waters under Calhemus¡¯s control expanded, he finally discovered something different. Turning his head, Calhemus looked in a particular direction. The water flow went missing in that direction. In other words, there was a path there.. Chapter 31 - Reappearance of the Cultists, Three Strange Beastfolks Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The wings on Calhemus¡¯s back flapped as he rushed for the exit with the raging waves. Finally, finally, finally! I¡¯m leaving this damned place. At this moment, Calhemus was indescribably excited. He was thrilled to find this place, but the following scene caused his expression to change abruptly. It was because after passing through the suspected exit, he realized that the world beyond it was completely different from what he had imagined. It was a dark cave. However, the darkness did not affect Calhemus¡¯s perception. Even in the dark, he could see everything clearly. Where is this place? What happened? Why am I here? Doubts surfaced in Calhemus¡¯s mind one after another. What puzzled him the most was why he was still unable to sense Bernal. Did Bernal abandon me? No way. No way. Just as the thought surfaced in his mind, Calhemus shook his head instantly, trying to forget about it. Don¡¯t think about it. If my father wanted to abandon me, he didn¡¯t have to say anything to me. Plus, I was the one who decided to come out to play this time. No, he won¡¯t. My father won¡¯t leave me alone. Sometimes, the more you want to forget, the more it would appear in your mind. Calhemus began to panic. He rushed into the depths of the cave madly, bringing his waves with him. He wanted to do the same thing as he did in the forest. He would flood this place and then find the exit. He wanted to return to Bernal¡¯s side. ¡­ Deep inside the cave, Bernal would have recognized this place if he were here. It was the place where he met Rogeria. It was the large ritual venue to summon the evil god. There was supposed to be no one at the ceremony venue, but two people stood at the center of the stage. A dragon-shaped creature was resting with its eyes closed beside the two. There was a cage on the back of this dragon-shaped creature. Three similar-looking beastfolks were chained inside. The three beastfolks hugged each other tightly and trembled as they looked at the two people discussing not far away. ¡°Have you looked for it?¡± One of the men with blond hair and cracked lips asked. The other scratched his arm and replied to his companion, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve searched through them all. I failed as I had expected.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve searched through them all. Nothing turned up, just as expected.¡± From this simple conversation, it was obvious that the two of them did not barge in by accident. They had come here for a specific reason. The blond man with the cracked lips looked around. He spread his arms and took a deep breath. As some black mist breathed out of his nose, he sighed regretfully. ¡°But the aura is so great. I thought I had succeeded.¡± His companion looked around regretfully as well. He touched the smooth and clean ground that did not have a summoning array anymore. ¡°The summoning should have been successful, but we were late.¡± The blond man looked helpless. ¡°We¡¯re already going at full speed. If not for the fact that we couldn¡¯t use teleportation, we would have succeeded long ago.¡± Splash! The blond man turned around and looked at the cave entrance with a puzzled expression. ¡°Did you hear something?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The other man first removed his hood to reveal his blue hair. He listened carefully before looking at his companion. ¡°I think it¡¯s the sound of water flowing. Before we came, we set up a magic formation in the vicinity. No one should be coming here.¡± However, right after the blue-haired man said this, the dragon-shaped creature that had been quiet all along suddenly stood up. Growl! The voice carried some impatience and uneasiness, causing the two likely cultists to frown. The blond man walked to the side of the dragon-shaped creature and stroked its body. Wisps of magic power surged, and gentle light sparkled. Under the comfort of this light, the dragon-shaped creature gradually calmed down. However, the dragon-shaped creature did not lie down to rest again. Its gaze remained fixated on the cave entrance. The blond man looked at the entrance of the cave in confusion. /Is there anything there? ¡°Liveras, have you sensed something?¡± Growl! Upon hearing its master¡¯s question, the dragon-shaped creature named Liveras called out to it and looked at it confidently. ¡°Bona, Liveras felt something. Let¡¯s be careful.¡± The blue-haired man, Bona, scratched his head. He looked around curiously. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anything in this cave. What is going on?¡± ¡°How would I know if you ask me!¡± The blond man glanced at the cave entrance. There was still no movement over there, and he could not find anything. However, he trusted his magic pet. Since his beloved pet had warned him, it was safer to be careful. ¡°Anyways, it¡¯s better to be careful.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Bona had the same thought. He pulled out his staff, a staff made from the bones of someone¡¯s arm. Then, a white, cold halo spread out. Countless painful faces could be faintly seen in the halo. ¡°I¡¯ve set up a barrier, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem with those spirits around.¡± The blond man was confident in Bona¡¯s methods, so he did not say anything. Looking around, he found it a pity to look at the ritual venue that was the most completed in history. Looking at the three beastfolks behind Liveras, the blond man could not help but sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I¡¯ve found such excellent offerings for this ritual.¡± At this point, the blond man seemed to have remembered something and could not help but grit his teeth. ¡°Can¡¯t the lunatics of the ritual group wait? I heard that they even attacked Liveras before the sacrifice.¡± Bona looked annoyed as well. ¡°Yeah, we were just a little late, and they stirred up such a huge mess.¡± It would have been fine if they were not discovered. If it did, the church would be in deep trouble. Although they were not afraid of the Liluca Kingdom, it was better to avoid trouble if possible. ¡°Forget it. It was our fault in the first place. The sacrifices prepared in advance were not in place. How could those lunatics miss the best opportunity to activate the ritual just to wait for us? ¡°However, the ritual group got wiped out this time, and we returned empty-handed. I wonder what the church will think?¡± ¡°I guess they¡¯ll reform the ritual group and try again..¡± Chapter 32 - Terror Arrives Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Looking at the empty ceremony venue before him, Bona visioned the spectacular scene when the day¡¯s ceremony began. And now, everything was gone. Nearly 30,000 members of the ritual group had died in this ritual. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to encounter such a situation.¡± The disappearance of an entire group was a significant loss to the church. ¡°What is the purpose of the ritual this time? Who is the target? For them to get wiped out like this.¡± In Bona¡¯s memories, it had been a long time since the complete annihilation of the ritual team was seen. However, it was not a big deal. The rituals of the ritual group were not simple each time, and they were always accompanied by death. Bona was already used to this. The only thing that left him somewhat afraid was that no matter how many people were gone, the missing portion could always fill up in a short time. ¡°I wonder how long it will take for the higher-ups to complete the restructuring of the ritual group?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already done.¡± Robocco replied calmly as he petted his precious magical pet. ¡°Really?¡± Bona looked at his companion in shock. At this moment, Robocco turned to look at Bona. His gaze was strange, as if he was looking at prey or a dead person. Bona did not sense anything wrong with his companion. He asked the question in his mind, ¡°Why haven¡¯t I heard of it before?¡± Robocco¡¯s gaze swept across the lethal spots on Bona¡¯s body. He thought for a moment and finally chose to tell him what he knew. ¡°The higher-ups have long expected the outcome of this ritual. After all, the target is none other than our faith, the Goddess!¡± Robocco said with a tinge of fanaticism. The same expression appeared on Bona¡¯s face. ¡°It was such an important ritual?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± Now that he knew the truth about the ritual, Bona looked at the three beastfolks on the back of the dragon-shaped creature with a remorseful expression. ¡°Then aren¡¯t we sinners?¡± Upon seeing this, Robocco¡¯s expression eased up, and his gaze softened. He walked forward and patted Bona on the shoulder to comfort him. ¡°No, you can¡¯t say that. According to the instructions I received, these three are supposed to be the medium for the Goddess¡¯ Arrival.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Bona looked up in confusion. He finally realized that something was wrong. He seemed to be kept in the dark throughout the entire mission. What was happening? Robocco patiently explained Bona¡¯s doubts. ¡°After the Goddess is summoned and the ceremony begins, we will be the first to send these three beastfolks to the Goddess.¡± ¡°Then, who was the sacrifice in the original ritual?¡± If what he thought was the sacrifice was not the sacrifice. Then, who was the real sacrifice? At the thought of this, Bona looked at the empty square. An idea popped up in his mind. He looked at Robocco in disbelief and exclaimed, ¡°Could it be¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The members of the ritual group were the sacrifices this time. In the previous rituals, big and small, there was a secondary purpose¡ªto increase their Ti.¡± Robocco nodded slowly while saying a word that was unfamiliar to Bona. ¡°Ti?¡± The pronunciation of this word was very strange. When Bona repeated it for the first time, he could only imitate 80% of it. ¡°That¡¯s right. Every time a ritual is performed, one¡¯s Ti will increase. The more Ti a person has, the greater the value of him being a sacrifice. ¡°In that case, why would the members of the ritual group be so nosy as to attack Rockevas?¡± Facing this question, Robocco went silent for a moment after talking frankly a moment ago. Then, he shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Robocco looked helpless as he met Bona¡¯s puzzled gaze. He guessed, ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s something about Rockevas that attracted them. After all, the person in charge of the merchant ritual group is a genuine lunatic.¡± At this point, Robocco¡¯s tone had a little anger that was difficult to detect. ¡°Apart from the overlord, nobody listens to anyone else. Who can guess the thoughts of a lunatic who is obsessed with rituals? Indeed, who could guess the thoughts of a madman? Bona nodded, believing that Robocco had a point. Just as he was about to say something, Liveras, who had been placated and calmed down, suddenly growled. Roar! ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± At the sound of Liveras¡¯s voice, Bona and Robocco hurriedly looked over. Unlike the last time, they seemed to sense something the moment Liverpool cried out. ¡°Roar!¡± It was another roar, this time more urgent than the last. Liveras turned to look at its master and cried again. Roar! Robocco seemed to understand what Liveras meant and hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s getting restless. Something is coming. We can¡¯t stay here any longer. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± At this moment, Robocco did not care why there was no reaction from Bona¡¯s barrier. He quickly jumped onto Liveras¡¯s back himself. ¡°Squeak squeak!¡± An ear-piercing rat¡¯s cry suddenly reverberated through the entire ceremony venue. As a result of this huge cave, the sound echoed in the cave, causing a considerable tremor. ¡°Down there!¡± Sensing the direction of the tremor, Bona looked in the direction of the source of the sound from the edge of the ritual platform. Patches of red eyes with no difference between the pupil and the white reflected Bona¡¯s appearance. ¡°Why isn¡¯t my barrier reacting?¡± Bona was filled with doubts as he looked at the terrifying squirming shadow. ¡°Ignore it and run!¡± Robocco was exasperated with Bona. It is too late to think about anything else. Just run already. Why don¡¯t you make sure you¡¯re safe before thinking about those problems? Upon hearing Robocco¡¯s urging, Bona came to his senses. He glanced at the black shadow and hurriedly ran towards Robocco. ¡°Squeak!¡± A sharp sound echoed in the cave, wave after wave, like a sonic attack. The beastfolks on Liveras¡¯s back were hugging their heads at the moment, seeming in great pain. ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°Coming!¡± Bona waved his bone staff as his body became lighter. He stomped his legs and flew towards Liveras.. Chapter 33 - Capturing the Explosive Fire Lion Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Huh?¡± Alia, who was with Bernal, suddenly looked up toward the ritual field in puzzlement. ¡°Squeak squeak!¡± ¡°Squeak squeak!¡± Bernal, who was learning from Kulenna, seemed to sense something as well. He looked around and did not bother about Kulenna, who was dealing with the Explosive Flame Lion. What¡¯s that sound? It¡¯s nasty. Where did it come from? Soon, he noticed something amiss with Alia. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Alia? I feel like you were acting strangely just now.¡± ¡°I felt that there was something strange over there as if something was calling for me. It was praying to me, hoping to get my response.¡± ¡°That direction¡­¡± Following the direction Alia pointed, Bernal seemed to have thought of something, and his expression changed. If he remembered correctly, that seemed to be the place where the ritual was held back then. Did something happen there? Bernal was deep in thought. At the moment, Kulenna, who was still imparting knowledge, also noticed the situation on Bernal¡¯s side. What is going on? Did something happen? Kulenna looked at Bernal, who was deep in thought. He could not help but wonder if he had said anything profound. Roar! The Explosive Flame Lion saw that Kulenna got distracted and took the opportunity to release its flames. This time, the flames did not direct at Kulenna but its entire body. Immediately after, the Explosive Flame Lion, which wrapped itself in flames, rushed towards Kulenna like a dazzling meteor. Kulenna seemed unfazed. As someone who had studied the Explosive Flame Lion extensively, he knew some of its characteristics and skills like the back of his hand. The Explosive Flame Lion, especially the alpha male, often had high self-esteem. Once it discovered that its enemy was distracted in a battle, it would become enraged. On the other hand, the enraged Explosive Flame Lion would not let go of this opportunity to use its furious flames to let the enemy know the consequences of being distracted in battle. Kulenna believed that the old lion would not get fooled easily. It was because the old lion did not fall for any of the flaws at the beginning. However, he did not expect that as the battle progressed, it still exposed its nature. Facing the flaw that Kulenna exposed on purpose again, the Explosive Flame Lion became tricked. Kulenna injected magic power into the staff, and vines sprung out of the ground. The vines wrapped the Explosive Flame Lion layer by layer, leaving no gap. At the same time, pleasant melodies came from Kulenna¡¯s mouth. Along with the song, the trees in the surroundings began to grow swiftly. It included the vines that Kulenna had summoned. Grass rapidly grew to the size of a knee in a few minutes, burying half of Bernal in it. Alia bent down and carried Bernal naturally. Sensing the commotion here, Bernal temporarily stopped thinking about the disturbance he had heard and focused on the vine cage summoned by Kulenna. When Bernal looked over, there was no more movement from the cage. ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°No, based on the strength of that Explosive Flame Lion, it won¡¯t die so easily.¡± The singing stopped, and Gulian Renner shook his head before answering. ¡°Although It¡¯s old and regressed, there¡¯s still a long time before it dies.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, rapid chanting came out of Kulenna¡¯s mouth. To be safe, he had begun to prepare the magic needed for the upcoming battle. As if it could sense Kulenna¡¯s actions, the Explosive Flame Lion, which was trapped in the vines, struggled again. White smoke rose again. The Explosive Flame Lion was spitting fire from within. ¡°That¡¯s its final struggle. The Explosive Flame Lion has a fatal weakness: it is not good at fighting in confined spaces. ¡°In such an environment, the flames released by the lion will quickly extinguish. Its capabilities would get diminished after losing its flame power. ¡°However, it¡¯s not certain if this situation applies all the time because sometimes, the Explosive Flame Lion can still release flames in such environments.¡± Bernal fell into thought after hearing this. He felt as if he had learned this in his previous world¡¯s science class. Burning flames required oxygen. If there was no oxygen, nothing could burn. But isn¡¯t this the magic world? I did not expect flames in this world to apply to this theory. It applies in some situations, with exceptions in others. Hence, there might be something in this world that could replace oxygen. Bernal recalled the magic knowledge he had learned from Kulenna over the past few days and had a guess. It should be the fire element. Even without oxygen, if elements exist, the flames should still be able to ignite as normal. While he was thinking, the quiet vine cage began burning again. ¡°I¡¯m surprised it still possesses such power.¡± Kulenna did not hesitate to release the magic that he had just set up. It was a water-type magic technique that could condense the surrounding water elements to attack. It was the nemesis of flames. However¡­ ¡°Why is it so weak? Where did all the water elements in the area go?¡± Kulenna was shocked as he watched the water sprout he shot evaporate under the flames of the Explosive Flame Lion. Bernal looked at this scene thoughtfully. It seemed that something had happened in the forest. Gulp gulp! The black tide surged, and Bernal, who was no longer in the mood to waste any more time with the Explosive Flame Lion, decided to strike. Boom! When the Explosive Flame Lion finally broke out of the cage and regained its freedom, black tentacles flew out from the black tide and pounced on the Explosive Flame Lion¡¯s body. Roar! The lion tried to struggle, but no matter what it did, the outcome was the same. The Explosive Flame Lion entangled by the tentacles roared angrily at the beginning. In the end, its mouth was blocked by the tentacles, and it could only whimper. In the end, facing the countless tentacles, the Explosive Flame Lion had no means to resist as it was pulled inside directly. He had successfully captured the Explosive Flame Lion. Bernal said to Kulenna, ¡°We¡¯re leaving. Follow me.¡± Upon hearing this, Kulenna picked up his staff and followed Bernal obediently. Bernal would never mistake the location of the ritual. He knew something had happened since he had modified the trees nearby the ritual site. Now that something had happened there, Bernal had a guess. Might it be the accomplices of those cultists from before? It was likely. It was just that Bernal did not expect that there would be someone alive in that organization after such a grand ceremony sacrificed so many people. The organization was much larger than he had imagined. Or is it the mastermind who instructed these cultists? Chapter 34 - Mutated Demonic Creatures Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Squeak squeak!¡± Inside the cave, Bona and Robocco used magical lighting around them to see what was happening below. Endless mice were squirming below, and the giant pair of scarlet eyes they saw previously was the mother that had nurtured and divided these mice. It was a giant, bloated rat. When they saw the entirety of the scene below, accompanied by three screams, the three beastfolks in the cage fainted on the spot. Even Bona and Robocco felt overwhelmed when they saw this. Any normal person would have a nightmare seeing this scene. As cultists, their psychological endurance was undoubtedly high. Still, after confronting such a terrifying scene, they could not help but feel apprehensive. ¡°These rats weren¡¯t here just now. Where did these things come from?¡± Robocco looked embarrassed. If possible, he wanted to turn around and not look at the mice below. However, for the sake of his life, he had to pay attention to the situation below just in case. Robocco answered without hesitation, ¡°It¡¯s probably a mutated monster that was affected by the ritual.¡± Robocco could imagine the reason for such a monster¡¯s appearance without much thought. It had happened before, so Robocco was not surprised. In the past, such things were often encountered by nearby adventurers or experts sent by officials to deal with them. It was their first time encountering something like this. ¡°We¡¯re unlucky this time.¡± This kind of mutation was rare but not uncommon. In short, it was dependent on luck. Now that he had encountered it, Robocco could only blame his luck. Bona felt helpless. Looking at the mice that filled the entire square in the blink of an eye, he could not help but complain. ¡°Look at what the ritual team did. They can¡¯t even stop causing trouble after dying, leaving such a huge problem behind.¡± A steady stream of mice separated from the giant rat, and the mice rapidly spread in all directions like a drop of ink falling into a basin. Countless rats were climbing the walls as they spoke. It seemed like they wanted to attack the two while they were in the air. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Robocco patted Liveras beneath him. Liveras immediately understood what he meant. Hot energy condensed in its mouth, shooting a stream of flames that landed on the rats below. ¡°Squeak squeak!¡± The surrounding rats immediately dispersed. Some of the rats further away tried various methods to attack Robocco and the others in the sky. Soon, there was progress for the rats. One by one, the rats climbed onto each other. They tried to use their bodies to build a ladder through the stacking method, but Bona noticed it soon. ¡°These rats can actually think. They are intelligent!¡± Bona was shocked by the mouse¡¯s actions. Upon hearing Bona¡¯s exclamation, Robocco noticed it too. He was shocked as well. Typically, monsters that got mutated by the ritual would fall into madness and lose their minds. However, these rats did not show any signs of that. ¡°Unbelievable, this is simply unbelievable.¡± While surprised, Robocco seemed to have thought of something, and his expression became pious and fanatical. ¡°Is this all because of the Goddess¡¯s power? Yes, it must be. Only the Goddess¡¯s power is this incredible.¡± ¡°The power of the Goddess?¡± Bona was stunned for a moment. He fell silent as he looked at the figures who were struggling to climb up the ladder in unison. Perhaps only the Goddess could make a tiny rat so intelligent. If no one controlled these rats, they might be able to build their own country in a few hundred years. Bona shuddered at the thought of the mouse¡¯s founding of a country. ¡°No, I can¡¯t let that happen. Damn rats, watch this.¡± As the incantation sounded, white mist seeped out of Bona¡¯s bone staff, followed by a string of disturbing faces. The anguished wails of despair began to reverberate through the air above the square. The moment the sound came, the rats below immediately quietened down, including the giant and most deformed mother rat. Pairs of scarlet eyes stared hard at the smoke around Bona. Seeing this, Robocco suddenly understood why the giant rat had appeared. ¡°Damn it, Bona! You¡¯re getting me killed this time.¡± ¡°What the hell.¡± Bona was stunned as he looked into the eyes of countless rats. Then, he cursed unhappily. ¡°Damn it! I shouldn¡¯t have used this.¡± He had only prepared a barrier to protect himself just in case. He did not expect that it was this barrier that attracted the giant rat over. ¡°If only I¡¯d known earlier.¡± As he waved his magic staff, smoke diffused, and countless white skeleton soldiers appeared in the white fog. ¡°Stop! Can¡¯t you tell that they like this?¡± ¡°Of course I know that, but look over there!¡± Robocco immediately understood what his partner meant. ¡°It¡¯s the exit!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s escape from there while these rats are distracted by the dead souls.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Robocco patted Liveras and sounded excited. We¡¯re finally saying goodbye to these damn rats! ¡°Let¡¯s go, Liveras.¡± Roar! Liveras responded and rushed for the exit. Bona looked behind him. All the rats were captivated by his necromancy, and not a single rat came after them. Bona could not help but shout excitedly. ¡°Great! Those damn rats didn¡¯t come.¡± At this moment, Bona suddenly heard the sound of running water. It sounded familiar. He could vaguely sense that something was amiss. Crash! ¡°Buddy, did you hear anything?¡± Bona was slightly startled. Then, he looked at Robocco and saw that his expression was ugly. Bona had a bad feeling when he saw Robocco¡¯s expression. Crash! The sound of flowing water continued. At this moment, Robocco finally said, ¡°I suddenly remembered something. If those rat demons were attracted by your barrier, then what was Liveras wary of in the beginning?¡± Crash! At this moment, the sound of flowing water was getting louder and louder as it approached. Bona and Robocco looked in the direction of the voice with ashen faces.. Chapter 35 - Dragon Knight Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Crash! When Robocco and Bona looked over at the same time, Calhemus¡¯s figure appeared before their eyes. The moment they saw Calhemus, Robocco and Bona cursed at the same time without hesitation. ¡°Damn that ritual group!¡± ¡Á2 Calhemus¡¯s appearance made them immediately associate him with the group of mice that were currently gnawing at those dead souls. They believed that it was another mutated creature due to the ritual. As for Calhemus, although he did not have any human characteristics other than his face, the characteristics of his mother, the Night Bat Ape, were still rather obvious. Robocco guessed, ¡°Is it a night bat ape that entered the cave by mistake?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the Night Bat Ape a wind-type creature? Since when did it become related to a water-type?¡± Bona¡¯s expression darkened as he berated Robocco. ¡°Who cares about that? The most important thing is to think of a way to escape. We¡¯ll think about this when we¡¯re safe.¡± Robocco froze for a moment before coming to his senses. Somehow, this sounded familiar. ¡°¡­I understand. I¡¯m counting on you, Liveras!¡± Summoning Liveras, a golden battle aura burst forth from Robocco¡¯s body. The moment the battle aura appeared, his knight armor also appeared on his body. Unlike Bona, Robocco was a Dragon Knight. After injecting battle aura into Liveras¡¯s body, the man and the dragon began to synchronize at this moment. Sensing the rising momentum on Robocco¡¯s side, Calhemus focused on him immediately. When he saw Bona and Robocco, Calhemus decided to vent his anger. He treated these two people and the dragon they were sitting on as his punching bags, venting his emotions on them. After what he experienced, especially the fact that he could not contact Bernal drove Calhemus crazy. At this moment, Robocco and Bona happened to bump into him. Under Calhemus¡¯s control, the waves surged and attacked Bona, Robocco, and everything else. The battle began. At the same time, Bernal and the others arrived at the place where Calhemus was previously trapped. ¡°Haven¡¯t we been here before?¡± As they walked along the muddy path, Bernal looked around. He did not know what he had experienced, but it was a mess with crooked trees everywhere. Upon hearing Bernal¡¯s words, Kulenna looked around. Although the place looked like it had experienced a great flood, there was nothing else wrong. After some thought, Kulenna summoned his staff, and a halo dispersed from it. It was a detection spell. Kulenna sensed the feedback of the magic, then opened his eyes in surprise. ¡°As Young Master Nielson thought, we came here before.¡± As he spoke, Kulenna blamed himself for not noticing such a simple enchantment. Bernal nodded after receiving confirmation. He looked at Kulenna and asked, ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°Someone has set up an enchantment here.¡± After a simple introduction, Kulenna knocked the ground with the staff in his hand. Then, a large tree rose abruptly from the ground. [Magic: Treant Summoning] ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Bernal witnessed in surprise. The summoned treant slowly walked forward under Kulenna¡¯s instructions. The treant slowly disappeared in front of everyone. After some time, the sound of the treant¡¯s footsteps came from behind them. They turned around and saw that the treant, who was supposed to be in front, walked back from behind. After everyone understood the situation, Kulenna explained, ¡°The goal of this enchantment is likely to trap unrelated people to avoid disturbance by making intruders loop like this.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s only to prevent unrelated people and the monsters here from disturbing, there¡¯s no need to set up such an enchantment. ¡°There are many more efficient and less detectable enchantments that they can choose from. ¡°It seems that the person who set up the enchantment is a vile person.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Bernal nodded. Vile? Like my previous guess, it must be the accomplices of that batch of cultists. Didn¡¯t expect them to be here so soon. While Bernal was thinking, Kulenna looked at him curiously. Feeling Kulenna¡¯s gaze, Bernal looked up and met his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Kulenna first bowed before asking Bernal his question. ¡°I¡¯m curious how Young Master Nielson discovered this?¡± It was difficult to detect any abnormality after walking one or two rounds in such a confusing place. Regarding this question, Bernal pointed at a tree not far away. ¡°You see that tree? The surrounding trees are normal. That is the only one that shriveled. I noticed it the first time I passed by.¡± Looking in the direction Bernard pointed, Kulenna saw a unique tree. Compared to the other trees, the color of this tree was distinctly different. Especially when placed together with other trees, this difference was apparent. Like a black spot on a piece of white paper, it was hard not to notice. ¡°Indeed, compared to the other trees, this tree¡¯s color has faded significantly.¡± Kulenna suddenly realized that he should have noticed the problem after walking one or two rounds. Such an iconic tree was probably left behind by someone who was trapped here previously. ¡°As expected of Young Master Nielson. You sure are observant.¡± ¡°No need for flattery. Do you have a solution?¡± After learning of the existence of the enchantment, Bernal looked around and realized someone had created these traces. Since that person was no longer around and there were no remains, the only possibility was that there must be an exit. Amidst his thoughts, Kulenna was about to speak up when Alia began carrying Bernal toward a particular direction. Alia¡¯s sudden action startled Kulenna. He opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it. Looking at the unfazed Bernal, Kulenna knew that he approved of Alia¡¯s actions. Since his master did not say anything, how could a lowly servant like him voice his opinion? Alia, who had watched Calhemus¡¯s movements, quickly found the exit of the enchantment. They walked straight forward and passed through the enchantment. The next moment, their vision darkened.. Chapter 36 - Calhemuss Evolution Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Boom! Bona¡¯s body slammed into the wall. Shaking off the gravel on his body, Bona held his chest and coughed lightly. ¡°Damn. What a terrifying power.¡± Bona looked up at Calhemus, who was fighting Robocco not far away. He gritted his teeth and waved the staff in his hand while enduring the pain. ¡°I don¡¯t just practice Necromancy.¡± The water got summoned in front of Bona at this moment. ¡°Taste this! Chain of Corrosion!¡± He chanted his magic loudly, and the color of the water controlled by Bona gradually turned green. The moment he felt that his control over the water got stripped, Calhemus noticed this troublesome fellow again. ¡°Roar~¡± Calhemus summoned water to form a shield in front of him in an attempt to withstand the attack. However, to his surprise, the chains went through the water shield and wrapped around his body. What is going on? While Calhemus could not understand the situation, he tried his best to break free. However, the parts of his body that contacted the chains began to emit a foul smell. Roar! With a cry of pain, Calhemus kept struggling to break free. Yet, he realized that the binding power of this thing was more horrifying than he had imagined. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, ugly freak? Do you know how powerful I am?¡± Bona chuckled as he pointed his staff at himself gently. Then, a few streams of water pulled him out of the cracks in the wall. At the same time, Bona¡¯s partner grabbed the opportunity to release his battle aura. Sensing its master¡¯s actions, Liveras opened its mouth wide and spat out flames. The blazing flames fused with Robocco¡¯s battle aura, turning into a beam of light charging towards Calhemus. In an instant, a large hole immediately tore open in the chest of Calhemus. ¡°Did we succeed?¡± Bona, who was holding his chest at the side, staggered over. He grabbed his staff tightly and stared in the direction of Calhemus. If he found anything amiss, he would cast his magic spells to deal with it immediately. ¡°Roar!¡± A roar came from Liveras¡¯s mouth. Robocco, the owner, warned, ¡°Be careful! It¡¯s still alive!¡± Calhemus was much more difficult to deal with than they had imagined. It made things troublesome for them. When the smoke dissipated, Calhemus, bound by the chains, collapsed on the spot in a sorry state. However, neither Robocco nor Bona were content about their enemy¡¯s predicament. ¡°It¡¯s healed again.¡± Bona waved his staff. He looked at the healing wound on Calhemus¡¯s chest with an ugly expression. Robocco had the same expression. Ever since the battle began, they could not effectively kill the other party no matter how much damage they inflicted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this guy? Is his magic power limitless?¡± Bona spat out a mouthful of blood, then looked gloomily at Calhemus, who had stood up again. ¡°It¡¯s a demonic creature that mutated after a ritual. Don¡¯t use common sense to assess it.¡± Although the situation was dire, Robocco did not panic. He calmly explained as he began to think of a solution. At this moment, Robocco noticed that it got eerily quiet behind them. Have all of Bona¡¯s dead souls been devoured? The progress is slower than I imagined. ¡°Got an idea. We can lure this demon to the ritual square behind us.¡± ¡°You mean?¡± Bona¡¯s eyes brightened as he immediately understood what he meant. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do it.¡± Why is this damnable fellow so tough to deal with? Is it that hard to let me beat it up? Calhemus stood up again. At this moment, his body had changed. Muscles began appearing on his octopus body while his ape arm began to shrink. His upper body gradually became balanced, and Calhemus began its evolution. If Bernal saw the current Calhemus, he would surely find him pleasing to the eye. Calhemus began to reveal the characteristics of a human gradually. He had an upper body of a human while his lower body was still those tentacles. The wings on his back flapped, and Calhemus, who had become more powerful, continued charging without hesitation. ¡°He¡¯s evolved again. We can¡¯t drag this on anymore. If this continues, we¡¯ll be exhausted to death by this guy.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be the bait. Wait for my command!¡± [Battle Aura Skill: Chain of Hatred] Robocco¡¯s battle aura began fading significantly as a dark gold chain with some rust surrounded his body. Under his control, the chain flew towards Calhemus. Another chain! Calhemus was already brooding over the Chain of Corrosion from before. Now that a similar thing had appeared in front of him, he got furious instantly. He turned around and rushed towards Robocco. ¡°Very well, everything is going smoothly. Come up quickly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Upon hearing Robocco¡¯s call, Bona quickly used the same trick to make his body lighter before jumping onto Liveras. The entire process was a success. Under the influence of the Chain of Hatred, Calhemus targeted Robocco and chased after him. As the chain could cause the target¡¯s emotions to fluctuate violently, it could put the target in an irrational state to a certain extent. Therefore, Calhemus stared at Robocco¡¯s back closely for the entire pursuit without thinking about anything else. Bona, who was sitting on Liveras¡¯s back, glanced at the ferocious appearance of Calhemus behind him. He said to Robocco. ¡°I feel like even the rats in there can¡¯t deal with this guy. This thing is too horrifying.¡± ¡°It might not be that terrifying. In addition to their numbers, those rats might have other abilities that we have never seen before.¡± Despite saying that, Robocco was not too optimistic about the giant rat. If there was a reason, this sea god-like demonic creature could totally drown all those rotten mice in it. If the mice inside the cave really did not have any other means and could only reproduce, then the guy behind him was bound to win without a doubt. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have an idea. I don¡¯t expect the rats inside to defeat this guy. We only need them to hold him back.¡± As he spoke, Robocco looked at the three beastfolk sisters on Liveras¡¯s back. Bona noticed Robocco¡¯s gaze and looked at him in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re activating the ritual alone, do you?¡± ¡°Do we have any other way?¡± Chapter 37 - The Ritual Once More Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Plop, plop, plop!¡± Walking in the wet cave, Bernal felt the humidity in this cave. Compared to the dryness during his last visit, this place was undoubtedly moist. Water vapor filled in every breath he took in, and it was an uncomfortable feeling. ¡°It seems that the fellow who got trapped has also arrived.¡± Kulenna had the same thought. ¡°Based on the signs inside the enchantment, that person should have drowned the entire surface of the ground and discovered the secret passageway.¡± Kulenna gave his judgment. As he spoke, he looked at Alia for some reason. It was normal for that person who was trapped to find the exit, but it was strange for Alia to walk in straight away as if she knew where it was. How did this woman know about the exit? Kulenna had always been curious about Alia. What is with this girl? Sometimes, he would find that she was more terrifying than his master. That was ridiculous in itself. Was there really such a person in this world who was scarier than Bernal? Kulenna did not know how to explain this feeling, but his eyes tell no lies. Therefore, he had always been vigilant against Alia, be it for himself or Bernal. Unfortunately, his loyalty did not pay off. No matter how he explained Alia¡¯s issue, Bernal, his master, was unmoved. Compared to him, Bernal seemed to trust this maid named Alia more. Regarding this, Kulenna had no better ideas. He could only remain vigilant against Alia in case she did anything harmful to his master. Bernal understood Kulenna¡¯s concerns. However, it was pointless to take precautions with some things. Bernal would prefer to use other methods to deal with potential problems that might arise from Alia. However, these were things he would consider in the future. Now that Bernal drew his attention back in front of him, he had a faint premonition that something bad was about to happen. Ritual venue. ¡°Are you sure this will work?¡± Bona looked at Robocco, who was fiddling with the ritual platform. He was puzzled by his companion¡¯s familiarity with it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Robocco said confidently, but Bona could not shake off a strange feeling. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know that you knew all this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because your level isn¡¯t high enough,¡± Robocco replied without hesitation. After he said that, he fell silent for a moment before adding, ¡°If you are able to leave successfully this time, you will be able to access the core areas of the Church.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Bona suddenly thought of how his partner acted very differently from usual in this outing. He suddenly understood something as he looked at his long-time partner in shock. ¡°This time¡­ It can¡¯t be a test for me, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t pass¡­ ¡°Then you¡¯ll be dead.¡± At that moment, Bona felt like his partner was a stranger to him as if he had never truly understood him. As he looked at the busy Robocco, he had many things to ask, but he did not know what to say in the end. ¡°I, em, you¡­ Sigh, so can you tell me something about it now?¡± After much thought, Bona finally accepted the reality in front of him. He had long been prepared since joining this organization. He was also extremely loyal to the Church and had never thought of betraying it. Upon hearing Bona¡¯s words, Robocco withdrew his killing intent and approved of his nominal partner. Aware of its master¡¯s thoughts, Liveras withdrew its gaze and closed its eyes again. It turned out that what had just happened was the final test. If there was anything wrong with Bona, then what awaited him was the joint attack of Liveras and Robocco. Since Bona had already passed the test, there was no need for Robocco to hide anything. ¡°Do you know why the ritual group can always complete the replenishment in the shortest time possible?¡± Bona had been puzzled about that question for a long time, and he was even slightly afraid of the Church¡¯s efficiency. ¡°Why?¡± This time, Robocco did not hide anything, nor did he keep him in suspense. He revealed the truth regarding the Church. ¡°This is because the ritual group is the core of the operation of the entire Church. You might think that there¡¯s only one ritual group, but in fact, the entire Church is a pool of reserves for the ritual group.¡± ¡°But I never see anyone getting transferred to the ritual group?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because so far, there have not been any major losses that warrant the need to do so.¡± Robocco took out a small jar from his pocket and poured magic power into it. Soon, dark red liquid flowed out from it and quickly outlined an incredibly profound magic formation on the platform. As he prepared for the ritual, Robocco explained to Bona, ¡°The Church has always been gathering people suitable for the ritual. Whoever meets the requirements will be admitted into the Church.¡± With that said, Robocco paused for a moment. He looked at Bona and asked, ¡°Do you know how many followers the Church has gathered over the years?¡± ¡°You mean all of them?¡± Bona exclaimed as he recalled the size of the Church. Robocco gave Bona an accurate answer. ¡°70% of them are. Before these reserves get used up, it¡¯s not our turn to join the ritual group.¡± ¡°Now, I¡¯ll tell you how I knew about these rituals.¡± After finishing the drawing of the ritual formation, Robocco stood up and looked at Bona. ¡°Once the members of the Church gain access to the core level, every core member will have to learn knowledge related to rituals in order to take over the ritual group when the need arises. ¡°The followers are reserves to the ritual group, and the core members are reserves to the leaders of the ritual group?¡± Until here, Bona finally understood. Robocco nodded and looked at him appreciatively. ¡°That¡¯s right. Every core member can become the head of the ritual.¡± Putting the jar away, Robocco began the final step of the ritual preparation.. Chapter 38 - Ritual In Progress Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°If nothing unexpected happens after we return, I will be the next leader of the ritual.¡± Bona congratulated him. ¡°Congratulations on your promotion into the cadre.¡± However, Robocco did not smile at all. Instead, he sighed helplessly. It made Bona feel that this promotion was not as enjoyable as he had imagined. Before Bona could ask, Robocco said, ¡°If possible, I really don¡¯t want to get chosen. Did you know that the previous leader of the ritual group was a devout priest before he became the leader?¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± It was another piece of shocking news. Bona had already forgotten the number of times he had been shocked today. Priests were people with strong convictions, uprightness, and integrity. However, in his impression, the head of the ritual group was a crazy person who spoke nonsense all the time. How would a priest behave like that? Although he was shocked, Bonner knew that Robocco would not speak nonsense. In this case, there was only one possibility. ¡°Is this the price for becoming the leader of the ritual?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. An increase in Ti is not something that goes without any reaction. As you increase your Ti, you will also become increasingly crazy.¡± ¡°Everyone in the ritual group was normal at the beginning!¡± Clapping his hands, battle aura and magic power surged from Robocco¡¯s body into the ritual platform below him. As the frequency of the two energies matched, Robocco completed the synchronization with the ritual platform. After this step, Robocco knew that he could no longer turn back. He looked at Bona and said, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all for now. I¡¯ll leave you to cover for me. I¡¯m going to start the ritual.¡± With that, Bona looked at the rats that were struggling with Calhemus. He held his staff tightly in his hand as he kept a lookout for his surroundings. Seeing this, Robocco felt slightly relieved. Then, he focused his attention on the ritual. Before the formal beginning of the ritual, Robocco looked at the three beastfolk sisters he was using as mediums. Thinking of the special nature of the triplets, he suddenly thought of something. ¡°Maybe I can succeed this time and really see that great deity¡­¡± An irregular and peculiar sound flowed from Robocco¡¯s mouth. In the next moment, everyone in the square seemed to have sensed something and looked over. Bona went on guard immediately. Due to the presence of the rats, he did not dare to use his Necromagic. He used water magic instead. The water condensed, and under Bona¡¯s control, a barrier enveloped the entire ritual platform. At the same time, Alia, who was rushing over, suddenly stopped. Sensing her abnormality, Bernal, who was hugging her neck, looked up at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you find anything?¡± Alia looked into the depths of the cave before she said, ¡°A summoning, something is calling me? No, it might not be. But I can hear someone calling from the other side.¡± As the ritual began, Alia felt a strong summoning. At first, she thought that it was directed at her. However, after some struggle and rejection, she suddenly realized that it might not intend to summon her. To be precise, the target could be anyone who had heard the summon. Bernal looked deep into the cave thoughtfully. ¡°Interesting. I thought that I was only here to investigate, but I didn¡¯t expect these people to start another summoning ritual.¡± ¡°I did not expect them to be able to prepare in such a short time and carry out the ritual again. What kind of organization is this?¡± ¡°Kulenna, do you have any ideas?¡± After learning the scale of the ritual from Bernal, Kulenna frowned and thought hard. However, he shook his head soon afterward. ¡°Young Master Nielson, I do not know anyone who can. ¡°For the few organizations I know of that can perform such a large-scale ritual, it requires at least a year of preparation. ¡°Unless this organization had long expected this failure, they had prepared many groups in advance.¡± ¡°As for such a large-scale organization, I have never seen it before.¡± ¡°Is that so? Things are becoming more and more interesting in a mysterious organization that even you don¡¯t know about.¡± Bernal smiled with interest, then motioned for Alia to move on. Calhemus could sense the commotion on the ritual platform. Although he did not know what was happening there, something told him that something bad was about to happen. Growl! He did not know how to speak yet as he could only vent the uneasiness in his heart with a furious roar. The water current responded to his summon and transformed into angry waves that pounced at the two cultists on the ritual platform. However, the protective shield that Bona had prepared was also made of water. The water current of Calhemus could not even move, much less destroy the shield. Attacks of the same attributes were ineffective after all. The rats fighting Calhemus previously rushed towards the ritual platform like they had gone mad. In the blink of an eye, the pillars under the stage became drowned out by the rats. ¡°Squeak squeak!¡± Compared to Calhemus, the rats were more sensitive. On the platform, they seemed to witness their deaths. An inescapable death. Robocco had locked onto them. In other words, even if they wanted to escape, they could not. They could not escape anywhere. It was because of this that the rats attacked even more frantically. ¡°That¡¯s fierce!¡± Bona frantically extracted his magic power and injected it into his water barrier to strengthen it. However, facing the crazy attacks from the rats, the protective shield seemed to be on the verge of collapse as if it was going to break open at any moment. Bona seemed to have thought of something as he took out a jar with the same design as the one Robocco took out. Although the design was the same, the contents were completely different. As if he had made a major decision, Bona threw the jar out violently. ¡°This is all of my collection. Don¡¯t waste my effort, you bastards!¡± When the jar broke, resentful voices echoed in the square, suppressing the mice¡¯s cries. It was a jar that sealed countless wraiths. The moment they obtained freedom, they attacked all the creatures that were not dead yet. Calhemus looked at the strange existence that was surrounding him and pouncing on him. He tried to attack, but he realized that he could not affect these wraiths no matter what he did. Yet, every time these vengeful spirits touched him, he would feel a piercing pain.. Chapter 39 - A New Evil God Appears, Amelia Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°How much longer? I can¡¯t hold on much longer.¡± Bona anxiously asked Robocco. ¡°It¡¯s already done.¡± Robocco¡¯s answer surprised Bona. Amidst his surprise, Bonner looked over and found that Robocco¡¯s body was dissipating bit by bit. Countless particles burst out of his body. The same thing happened to Liveras. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± A blissful smile appeared on Robocco¡¯s face. He could almost feel that a great existence was descending. Seeing Bona¡¯s shocked face, Robocco said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. It is inevitable.¡± Even the previous head of the ritual did not survive in such a ceremony when he was well prepared. Not to mention, he had prepared the ritual in a hurry. Surviving could be considered a miracle, but he had long prepared for death. Anyway, death was inevitable, so it was better to die with greater value. Therefore, Robocco had long prepared for this. ¡°As long as the ritual is successful, what¡¯s the matter if I die?¡± He turned his head and looked at Liveras and smiled. ¡°You think so too, huh, Liveras?¡± Growl! Liveras called out in response as the man and dragon looked at each other affectionately. ¡°Let¡¯s meet again on the other side, Liveras.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Bona wanted to stop him, but he did not have that capability. He subconsciously looked behind him before his vision darkened as he lost consciousness. At this moment, Alia walked into this familiar ritual square with Bernal in her arms. As soon as he entered, a special feeling overwhelmed Bernal. He looked up at the empty ritual platform and the empty square in front of him, knowing that it was over. ¡°It seems like we¡¯re late.¡± His gaze swept across the square. When Bernal withdrew his attention, he suddenly realized that the venue was not empty. There was something small lying there. The person¡¯s figure was familiar to him, but the appearance was different from what he remembered. Gulp gulp! A black tide appeared, and a tentacle brought the little thing in front of Bernal. What appeared in front of him was none other than the shrunken Calhemus. Calhemus, who had maintained his evolved form, looked like a child with tentacles in the lower body and bat wings. Bernal looked at this guy in bewilderment, finding him familiar. Perhaps this is what the ritual summoned? ¡°Mm? Why do you look so familiar?¡± Hearing Bernal¡¯s voice, Calhemus suddenly opened his eyes. His originally ruthless eyes immediately became warm and pure when he saw Bernal. Looking at the little thing waving its tentacles in front of it, Bernal glanced at the wings and tentacles on its back. He said tentatively, ¡°Calhemus.¡± Hearing Bernal calling his name, Calhemus immediately responded happily with a brilliant smile. Looking at this reaction, Bernal was slightly surprised. ¡°It really is you!¡± Bernal let go of Calhemus and looked at him in surprise. He did not expect that he had changed so much after such a short time. ¡°How did you become like this? Though you look much more pleasing to the eye now.¡± As if he understood Bernal¡¯s words, Calhemus rushed into Bernal¡¯s arms joyously. In his understanding, Bernal was praising him. It was the truth as Bernal hugged Calhemus and stroked his beautiful hair. He did find him much more pleasing to the eye. The current Calhemus made him feel like a father. Fascinating! Looking at Calhemus, Bernal sighed in his heart. He was only three years old, but he had already become a father. It¡¯s a fascinating alternate world, after all. ¡°Roar~¡± Hearing Calhemus¡¯s voice, Bernal smiled. ¡°Still can¡¯t speak human language? Never mind, you¡¯ll learn from me properly in the future.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Calhemus replied merrily as his head kept rubbing against Bernal¡¯s chest. ¡°You do understand my language, though.¡± Just as Bernal was about to ask Calhemus about this place, three figures stood up from the ritual platform. Bernal looked over as if he had sensed something. At the side, Kulenna looked at the triplets in confusion. ¡°Beastfolks? Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Bernal curiously asked as he saw Kulenna¡¯s reaction. Bernal turned around and sized up the three beastfolk sisters. The triplets looked similar, but their physical characteristics were different. On the leftmost side had a pair of cat ears and tails. The one in the middle had a pair of furry limbs with sharp claws. The last one had a furry body as if she was wearing a coat made of fur. Is this the beastfolk of this world? Bernal had never seen them before. He knew of the existence of beastfolk, but this was the first time he saw one. At this moment, Kulenna¡¯s voice sounded in his ear. ¡°Young Master Nielson, this is not a beastfolk, or rather, not an ordinary beastfolk.¡± Kulenna¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity. He was very interested in the triplets that had appeared in front of him. ¡°Other than being human-shaped, normal beastfolks don¡¯t have any characteristics of humans. They mostly have the characteristics of various animals.¡± Bernal imagined it with Kulenna¡¯s description. An image instantly formed in his mind. For example, Taurens, Taurens and Taurens, etc. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, this pair of triplets are supposed to be purebred beastfolks.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Bernal looked at Kulenna in confusion. ¡°Purebred beastfolks don¡¯t have any characteristics of humans other than standing on two feet like humans.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s their situation now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing¡­¡± Kulenna was about to explain. However, before he could finish, he felt a great force landing on him. Next, he flew backward. Before Bernal could react, he heard the three beastfolk girls on the stage begin to speak. ¡°Let me tell you instead, sister¡¯s contractor!¡± ¡°Beastfolks were the products of cursed humans. ¡°And why this pair of triplets is like this is that they have shared the burden of the curse.¡± ¡°Share the curse?¡± Upon hearing this, Bernal did not bother to look at Kulenna. He looked at the triplets on the ritual platform in surprise and suddenly understood something. ¡°Thank you for your explanation. How should I address you, Goddess?¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± ¡°As my sister¡¯s contractor,¡± ¡°You have the right and the ability to know our names.¡± The triplets said the sentence by saying a portion each. This method made it strenuous for Bernal to listen. However, they said it very naturally. ¡°My name!¡± ¡°Is!¡± ¡°Amelia!¡± Chapter 40 - Bernals Servant Group Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Things became troublesome. Bernal had never thought that these cultists managed to summon another evil god. He looked around Amelia, and after confirming that there was no one else around, he could not help but complain. What¡¯s the point of summoning it if all of you are gone? If I¡¯m not wrong, the triplets were prepared as part of the summoning of Rogeria. Shared curse? So that¡¯s how it is. For such a characteristic, it does make the ideal medium. It meant that the cultists carrying out the ritual had finally grasped the method of getting the evil god to descend upon the world. No one knew better than Bernal about the price he had to pay to establish a contract with an evil god and let the evil god descend. Bernal managed to do this because of his own tolerance. The beastfolk triplets could do it because they shared the consequences. But was that all there is to it? If it was only to such an extent, Bernal did not believe that no evil gods could enter this world until now. And that Rogeria would not have failed so many times. The triplets should have other unique qualities. It would explain why they could successfully support the Evil God to enter this world. Right at this moment, Calhemus suddenly trembled in Bernal¡¯s arms. Looking at the slightly pained and twisted expression of Calhemus, Bernal suddenly realized that, unlike him, this little guy should not hear the name of an evil god at all. Bernal had previously tested the true name of an evil god. Ordinary creatures could not listen to it regardless of whether they had intelligence. Otherwise, their bodies would undergo irreversible and terrifying changes. However, it did not happen immediately to Calhemus. It might be because of his relationship with Bernal. He was considered a part of Bernal and had only barely escaped death. However, he still felt terrible when he heard the name spoken. Gulp gulp! Upon seeing this, Bernal summoned the black tide. Then, a few tentacles stretched out and wrapped around Calhemus¡¯s body. ¡°Hide here for a while.¡± Amelia watched with interest as Bernal placed Calhemus inside. Amelia stared at Calhemus for a moment, then beamed. ¡°I see. My sister has really found a powerful contractor.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the three sisters appeared in front of Alia. They observed Alia from three different perspectives. Aware of Amelia¡¯s attention, Alia met her gaze doubtfully. She did not feel any discomfort, but she had an urge when she faced the three. Tentacles emerged from under Alia¡¯s maid dress and attacked the three sisters without hesitation. Thud! The tentacle hit the square, creating a pit in the flat ground. The ground shattered while Amelia was long gone. ¡°Interesting!¡± ¡°Interesting!¡± ¡°Absolutely interesting, hahaha!¡± Amelia¡¯s voice echoed in the square, followed by her piercing laughter. The pleasant voice gradually made people feel intense discomfort as it reverberated in the square. Bernal frowned. He was still in Alia¡¯s arms. Alia¡¯s actions now inevitably caused him to jump up and down. The three sisters avoided Alia¡¯s attack while smiling at Bernal. ¡°It seems my sister got restricted by your power.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a genius.¡± ¡°Beautifully done!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have a good relationship with your sister?¡± Bernal was puzzled by the expressions of the three. He did not know much about Evil Gods. Therefore, he did not know what kind of relationship the sisters had. Amelia gave a surprising answer to Bernal¡¯s question. ¡°No!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good!¡± ¡°You can say that I love her to death!¡± Bang! Alia¡¯s assault continued. The edges of her pupils began to distort as if tentacles were extending from them. Her power became increasingly stimulated by Alia as she used them. A pitch-black spike extended from her back and jabbed toward Amelia. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°How passionate!¡± ¡°Even if you have lost consciousness¡­¡± ¡°Sister still likes me so much!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so blessed!¡± An indescribable pressure was released from the three bodies of Amelia. Bernal felt the pressure, but Alia remained indifferent as she continued to attack. Seeing that the battle was about to escalate, Amelia suddenly stopped. Noticing Amelia¡¯s strange actions, Bernal asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you going to continue?¡± His gaze moved back and forth between Amelia¡¯s three bodies as a thought surfaced in his mind. If sharing the consequence was enough to bring the evil god to this world, how could Rogeria have failed so many times? Bernal seemed to understand something as he watched Amelia, who had stopped suddenly. ¡°Your medium can¡¯t withstand it anymore.¡± Amelia looked at him in surprise. Even at this moment, she managed to laugh. ¡°So perceptive!¡± ¡°Got discovered!¡± ¡°As expected of the man who toyed with my sister.¡± As they spoke, the three bodies clutched their chests at the same time, and their skin began to turn red. ¡°This body!¡± ¡°It seems like¡­¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve reached my limit!¡± Alia did not stop her actions. The tentacle under her opened up, and the sharp teeth in the suction cup on it churned as if it wanted to swallow Amelia. The pitch-black spikes behind her squirmed and transformed into pitch-black chains that shot toward Amelia. Seeing that Alia was about to destroy the three mediums, Bernal made his move. A dark wave rolled up and took away all three of Amelia¡¯s mediums before Alia was about to hit them. ¡°Stop it, Alia.¡± Alia tilted her head and withdrew the tentacle beneath her. The black chain disappeared as well. ¡°What a surprise.¡± ¡°You actually saved me.¡± ¡°What are your thoughts? My sister¡¯s contractor?¡± Amelia¡¯s voice came from within the black tide. Bernal let Amelia out again. He met their eyes and said calmly, ¡°Do you want to sign a contract with me?¡± ¡°Then I can be like my sister?¡± ¡°Become your maid.¡± ¡°And toy with me however you want?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Bernal subconsciously wanted to refute. He never thought so much. However, before he said anything, he heard Amelia¡¯s reply. ¡°Okay!¡± ¡Á3