"Beep... Ainz-sama," just as Chu Lian was about to continue speaking, the sound of a system communication link rang by Ainz's ear, followed by a gentle, soft voice.
He gestured for Chu Lian to stop, then reached up to his ear. "Entoma?"
"This subordinate has something to report."
"I'm very busy right now. When I have time, I will contact you myself," Ainz interrupted her.
"Understood." Entoma responded softly, then added, "When the time comes, please contact Albedo-sama directly." With that, she terminated the connection.
Ainz looked up at Chu Lian and found her swaying slightly, an intoxicated expression on her face. Surprised, he asked, "Deloris, what's wrong?"
Chu Lian did not answer immediately. She shook her head lightly for a moment before finally explaining, "Entoma's voice is just too pleasant. I almost couldn't resist the urge to pull her into my arms."
"Ahem. Entoma is a spider, you know. Aren't you supposed to hate insects?" Ainz kindly reminded her, which instantly dampened Chu Lian's enthusiasm.
"Big brother, you're really annoying."
However, she soon let out a breath and looked at him seriously. "Big brother, I have something to take care of shortly. I might be late coming back to help you."
"Oh? What is it?" Ainz was somewhat surprised. Hadn't everything just been settled? Why had Chu Lian suddenly changed her mind?
"I can sense that Shalltear is in danger. Entoma's message just now was probably about that. If we delay any longer, something will happen to her. So I'm going to rescue her." Chu Lian shook her head and raised her gaze earnestly. "Let me go alone this time. Big brother can proceed with annihilating the skeleton army. You could even wait until their numbers grow a little more before wiping them out."
"But don't worry, big brother. I estimate I'll need about an hour to return. The undead legion will take longer than that to fully form. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll make it back in time. And you don't need to worry about me. Trust me—I can handle it. If you go instead, I'm afraid it might complicate the situation further."
Her words directly blocked Ainz's intention of switching tasks with her. After a moment's thought, he nodded slowly. "If even Shalltear has run into trouble, it won't be something simple. Be careful."
"I will, big brother. I'll be back soon." Chu Lian responded. She knew exactly what was happening. The difficulty spike for this mission had arrived. The main quest and the optional quest ⑥—eliminate Zurrernorn—had collided in timing. If anything unexpected occurred and she failed to return in time to destroy Zurrernorn, that optional quest would disappear.
After speaking, Chu Lian silently walked to the center of the room. Raising her hand, she gathered magic power in her palm. A pale blue radiance shimmered, then split into several orbs of magic that traced out a mysterious formation in the air. She fell silent for a moment before stepping directly into it...
"Deloris..." Ainz wanted to call out to her, but he understood that once the girl had made up her mind, it was futile.
He could have abandoned the undead army and gone with Chu Lian to rescue Shalltear. However, she had already cut off that possibility in advance. With no other choice, he could only watch her leave.
Then he recalled Entoma's words and immediately connected to Albedo's communication, asking what exactly had happened.
"Shalltear... has betrayed us..." Beneath his armor, red light flickered in his eyes. Ainz nearly teleported back to Nazarick at once, but Chu Lian's earlier words restrained him. For now, all he could do was pray that Deloris would not encounter any problems.
"What are you trying to do?"
Appearing beside Shalltear—who had already reverted to her human form—Chu Lian first addressed the fearful figures attempting to approach her. Then she looked at Shalltear and let out a sigh. "In the end, I was still too late. Even after spending 4,500 Dream Points to purchase an ultra-long-distance teleportation array, I couldn't make it in time. The jade pendant I bought for you for 3,000 Dream Points—the one that resists mental control—must have shattered as well, right? A world item... truly terrifying. Even all your power combined couldn't withstand it?"
She spoke to herself as if no one else were present, completely ignoring the enemies surrounding Shalltear, who had grown wary again at her sudden appearance.
"You dared to bully someone I care about. That makes me rather unhappy."
She lifted her head. Her eyes were filled with indifference. A long blade that gleamed with a cold, moonlit sheen appeared in her hand. "To actually use a world item... Do you really think the Slane Theocracy rules this world?"
She swung her blade in a half-moon arc. A frigid blue slash shot forth, cleaving every one of them cleanly in two.
Within her eyes, a demonic violet glow, a sacred white radiance, and her original black hue shifted and intertwined, none yielding to the others, locked in stalemate.
"Slane Theocracy... I will erase you from existence..."
This was the greatest miscalculation of this dungeon run. She had failed to account for the inertia of the plot and the terror of a world item. Even after making multiple preparations, she had been unable to prevent Shalltear from being controlled by Downfall of Castle and Country. But that did not mean she would give up.
"All enemies... die..."
The tri-colored light in her pupils finally settled back into black. It seemed that whether Dark Chu Lian or White Chu Lian, neither wished to interfere with her in her current state. They allowed her to do what she wanted.
Perhaps this was a kind of growth for her. Dark Chu Lian, suppressed by White Chu Lian and unable to emerge to absorb the negative emotions born from killing, could only remain silent.
"So it was you..."
In the end, they were nothing more than ordinary humans. Regardless of level, even without activating the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, Chu Lian did not regard them as threats.
Without the world item, they stood no chance against a powerhouse like her. At first, they resisted desperately. But as the slaughter became one-sided, they all fled in terror.
Unfortunately, an enraged Chu Lian showed them no mercy. One slash per person—she sent them to meet the god they so devoutly worshiped.
By the end, only a few of the strongest remained, escorting a severely injured old woman in a qipao as they fled in panic.
Yet in the eyes of someone capable of Teleport, they were practically within arm's reach. With a single step through space, she appeared directly before them.
Her long hair fluttered gently in the night wind. Paired with her icy gaze and exquisite features, she possessed an otherworldly beauty beneath the moonlight.
But none of them had the heart to appreciate it. The strength of the person before them far exceeded their imagination. Not a single one could withstand even one exchange. Even combined, they were no match for her.
Chu Lian looked at the group standing frozen in place. She gave them no chance to speak. Her blade swept out lightly, slicing their throats one by one.
They fell in silence.
The old woman they had been protecting tumbled to the ground from the weakening arms that had supported her. Her grievously wounded body could not withstand such impact. She coughed up a large mouthful of blood and began wheezing violently. It seemed she did not have long left to live.
"Death is merely another beginning."
Chu Lian showed no pity and no hesitation. She drew a blade across the old woman's throat, ending her suffering.
Afterward, she planted the Senra Longblade into the ground. Raising her left hand, the Seven Illusions Bow appeared. She drew the string. Moonlight condensed into arrows. Toward three different directions, she released a Thousand Feathers each.
Rumble...
The rain of arrows formed from magic crashed down, slaughtering the remaining soldiers of the Slane Theocracy and completely destroying every structure and camp, leaving nothing behind.
Only after finishing everything did Chu Lian let out a breath of relief. All the Slane Theocracy soldiers here were dead. The scattered remnants would not take long to eliminate.
In her mind, the voice of the system spirit Shiroha sounded: "Main Quest for the Protagonist's Side ①: Seize the world item 'Downfall of Castle and Country.' Difficulty Level A. Completed."
Then the old woman whom Chu Lian had just slain turned into ashes in a burst of light and vanished.
The qipao she had been wearing was washed by moonlight and restored to a pristine state, as if it had never been touched by anyone. Evidently, the system had used its power to remove every trace upon it, lest Chu Lian—who had a slight obsession with cleanliness—find it displeasing.
She looked at the qipao floating before her. It featured a high collar, with deep slits on both sides. Its color was silver-white, embroidered with a five-clawed dragon soaring toward the sky in golden thread. Beautifully styled, it was perhaps the most exquisite one-piece garment designed for a woman.
Shiroha's voice continued:
"Quest Reward: world item 'Downfall of Castle and Country.' Item Rank: SS+.
Item Effect: Can control one enemy with strength up to the peak of Heaven Rank, turning them into your subordinate. Number of controlled units: 1."
"Passive Effect 1: Inborn Peerless Beauty—Increases the user's charm depending on circumstances, enhancement range 0~15%."
"Passive Effect 2: Downfall of Castle and Country—
When the opponent's strength is below Human Rank, they will develop feelings of affection toward the wearer and will not take the initiative to harm them.
When the opponent's strength is at Spirit Rank, they will hold great favor toward the wearer and will not take the initiative to harm them.
When the opponent's strength is at Earth Rank, they will hold favor toward the wearer and will not take the initiative to harm them.
When the opponent's strength is at Heaven Rank, upon contact they will develop favor toward the wearer and will not take the initiative to harm them, excluding races aligned with evil.
(This effect can be toggled on or off.)"
"Note: The item must be worn by the user for its effects to activate. Once the wearer removes the qipao, the control effect will disappear. When the host's strength reaches Heaven Rank, the weakening of the active effect will be removed and changed to permanent control."
"Of course... it's been weakened."
Chu Lian looked at the description of Downfall of Castle and Country. The final note made it clear that the system would never allow loopholes so easily. Even though it had been upgraded from the A-rank dungeon 'Harry Potter' and the mission difficulty had not increased, the reward had still been temporarily nerfed.
Still, obtaining an item capable of temporarily controlling a Heaven Rank powerhouse was already incredibly powerful.
"Lian'er, don't forget. This item is currently controlling Shalltear. If you put it on, that means you become Shalltear's controller. But Shalltear has already effectively betrayed the Great Tomb of Nazarick. If you wear this qipao, how will you face Ainz and the others?" Ayase spoke up to remind her upon seeing Chu Lian's mood ease.
"I know, Ayase. Do you have a way to remove this control effect?" Chu Lian had come here precisely to rescue Shalltear and obtain Downfall of Castle and Country. The latter was accomplished. The former she had not forgotten—she simply did not yet know how to proceed.
"Yes. I can remove the effect of Downfall of Castle and Country from Shalltear. But there will be three costs." Ayase's words did not surprise Chu Lian. She had already expected this.
"Tell me. What are the costs?"
"First: After the control effect is removed, Shalltear will return to the Great Tomb of Nazarick. At the same time, her favorability toward you will reach MAX. From then on, she will stop at nothing to obtain you. So when she's around, you'll need to be wary of nighttime assaults or similar situations."
"Her favorability toward me reaching MAX... I can interpret that as weakening Downfall of Castle and Country's effect, but applying a permanent buff to Shalltear instead. Does that mean it'll be much easier for me to subdue her in the future? If so, that's worth it."
"No. The 'Subdue Shalltear' mission remains SS rank. Her loyalty to Nazarick and to Ainz is also MAX. If you want to subdue her, you must defeat her in battle."
"All right. What's the second cost?"
"The active effect of Downfall of Castle and Country will be unusable until the completion of the next dungeon."
"That's acceptable."
"The third cost: 10,000 Dream Points." Ayase paused slightly before continuing, "However, I regret to inform you, Little Lian'er, that you no longer have that many Dream Points. Previously, you had accumulated 3,500. After completing the battle of Carne Village, you obtained 10,000 Dream Points. Then you spent 12,500. Right now, you only have a little over one thousand remaining..." Ayase's tone sounded somewhat strange, as if even she felt helpless at Chu Lian's extravagance.
"Just tell me what I have to pay. Let me make this clear—I only accept transactions or quests. Don't bring up anything else." Chu Lian knew she had gone too far, but there had been no alternative. All three expenditures had been necessary. Without them, she could not have completed her current objectives or arranged future plans.
You earn with difficulty, you spend with ease—and then you suffer for your poverty.
"Oh? You've grown smarter." Ayase's surprised tone nearly drove Chu Lian mad.
"I may act foolish occasionally, but I'm not actually stupid! This isn't the first time this has happened. Every time you say it like that, it means I have to pay some additional price. I've already figured it out, okay? The system's principle is just like that of the Spacetime Traveling Merchant—it upholds the essence of trade. It's just that compared to the Spacetime Traveling Merchant's absolute fairness, the system isn't quite so fair..."
"It's simple. Sell those four bottles of A-rank Dragon Bloodline you have to the system, and you'll receive 10,000 Dream Points in exchange. Quite a generous offer, isn't it?" As if to validate her own words, Ayase said it in a charming tone—proposing a deal Chu Lian found impossible to accept.
"Profiteer..."
Gritting her teeth, Chu Lian roared, "Do you think I don't know the price of that stuff?! I checked the system's database before! An SS-rank Seventh-Tier Dragon Bloodline costs 95,000 Dream Points. An S-rank Seventh-Tier Dragon Bloodline costs 47,000 Dream Points. An A-rank Eighth-Tier Dragon Bloodline should be worth at least 8,000 Dream Points each, right? And you want to buy them at 2,500 per bottle? That's outright robbery! I absolutely won't make that trade!"
"All right, perhaps that was a bit expensive. Then how about two bottles in exchange for 10,000 Dream Points?" Ayase fell silent for a moment before attempting a revised offer. She calculated that if Chu Lian still refused, she would raise the price a little. Although that would slow the system's upgrade progress, it could be considered doing Chu Lian a favor.
"Deal!"
Chu Lian agreed instantly, leaving Ayase stunned. "You're not bargaining anymore? This price is still unfair, isn't it?"
"Because I'm making a profit! Just now it was 2,500 Dream Points per bottle. Now it's 5,000 per bottle! It's normal for selling and buying prices to differ. This is my psychological threshold. Once it's met, I won't nitpick." Chu Lian sounded rather pleased with herself, as if she had truly gained the upper hand.
"Very well. Deal..."
Ayase did not waste any time. She immediately transferred two bottles of A-rank Dragon Bloodline from Chu Lian's space into the system's possession. Chu Lian's Dream Points increased by 10,000 accordingly.
"I was actually planning that if you still weren't satisfied, I'd offer 6,000 per bottle for two bottles and give you an extra 2,000..."
As Chu Lian was watching her points rise, Ayase's voice drifted into her ear. She fell silent.
She had thought she was getting a bargain. In reality, she had still lost out.
Ayase... do you have any idea that 2,000 Dream Points is a huge amount to me right now?
"Ahem. Would you like to spend 10,000 Dream Points to remove the effect of 'Downfall of Castle and Country' from Shalltear?" Seeing the situation, Ayase coughed lightly and quickly changed the subject. If Chu Lian continued sinking into depression, it would be troublesome.
"Agree..."
She answered in a lifeless tone. The 10,000 Dream Points she had just obtained returned to Ayase in an instant. The qipao named Downfall of Castle and Country entered her spatial wardrobe, hanging there quietly.
"Phew... finally settled..."
She let out a breath of relief. Just as Chu Lian was about to return to check on Shalltear, her waist was suddenly seized tightly from behind.
At the same time, all her spatial abilities were sealed.
Shalltear's voice sounded beside her ear.
"Dear Deloris... I've caught you."
At this moment, beneath a bright moon and clear night sky, surrounded by nothing but corpses in a desolate wilderness, Chu Lian was captured by this perverted, shameless, H-obsessed vampire loli Shalltear.
Her chastity... was in grave danger...