Eternal Day City, the liaison office of the Temple of Life.
"I suspect that 'Drake' is not only part of Paradise but also holds a high status within it," Eugene reported calmly. His face was marked with the sweat of a hurried return.
The archbishop's aged voice came through the communication crystal. "What's your basis, child?"
"The Manor incident. Paradise has never publicly showcased their victory, and the mysterious origins of the major contributor, Drake, remain unexplained," Eugene said. "This time, Drake once again acted alongside two individuals from Paradise, defeating the remnant soul of the ancient Demon King. If it's a coincidence, it's too much of one—Paradise has never explicitly claimed Drake as their own, but they haven't denied it either, which likely means it's intentional."
"Drake previously claimed to be a pantheist of the Goddess, yet willingly associates with a traitor like Painter, which makes his stance somewhat questionable. Moreover, he possesses dragon blood, fitting Paradise's standard for 'special monsters'."
Drake's silence on his affiliation was a subtle form of charity and a different kind of caution.
As long as Drake wasn't officially part of Paradise, he wasn't "Paradise's Hero" but "Tahe's Hero". This way, the Temple wouldn't have a direct conflict of interest with Paradise.
If they wish, they could even use Drake's achievements to praise God. Paradise's reluctance to take the lead probably aligns with this, tacitly agreeing.
…Regrettably, Knight Eugene despised charity.
He continued relentlessly.
"The oracles from the Eternal Church have been thoroughly investigated by my people. The only possible unclaimed oracle belongs to a survivor of the 'Grape Collar Immortal Church Arson Incident' years ago—if that survivor truly exists."
"The survivor cannot possibly be Drake. Even the mad Eternal Church understands the consequences of provoking a dragonborn."
For dragonkind, half-bloods were already a humiliation; if humans dared to experiment on a half-blood, Subelbot would personally burn Ice Rock City to the ground with dragon fire.
"In conclusion, Drake has a deep relationship with Paradise, and he doesn't bear the oracles of the two gods. The Temple already has a standard judgment for such individuals."
"…Only we, the Chosen Ones, can be trusted."
The archbishop responded warmly, "Please invite Mr. Drake to the Temple as a guest. Within the Holy Land, malice cannot be hidden."
"Yes." After speaking, Eugene's eyebrows twitched. "I request to use 'Life Reading' and 'Teleportation Tracking'."
"Life Reading… I've heard about Paradise possessing 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. It's a good choice for finding hidden intelligent life."
In the communication crystal, the archbishop's thick eyebrows moved. "However, do you think Paradise might still possess teleportation items?"
"I believe it's necessary to be fully prepared. After all…"
After a few seconds' pause, Eugene closed his eyes. "My Lord, no one knows what the new Demon King looks like. We can't rule out the possibility of the 'new Demon King replacing someone'."
"The Saints are protected by divine grace and cannot be dominated by evil, so we can skip them. Painter must be captured, and the remaining three are all from Paradise. All four individuals must be investigated."
Meanwhile, on the circular island in the Endless Sea.
Painter stood on the gray-white rocks as the sea water repeatedly lapped at his bare feet. Over the past few days, his chin had grown a bit of stubble.
He clapped his hands, isolating everyone but Teest and Nol with a soundproofing spell. Fischer's expression turned slightly unsightly, but he didn't say anything, instead blocking Abandon's curious gaze.
"Believe me, besides measures against 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Eugene will also detect for teleportation magic. By my calculation, in at most half an hour, the related detection will begin."
Painter smiled. "The 'Black Candle's Teleportation' is a threat to anyone, and in my opinion, it's not wise to reveal it now—I've heard the conditions for using this candle are very strict. You really have a way."
Nol felt like he had somewhat of a headache.
With Eugene's level, he must have already suspected "Drake" was related to Paradise. On this point, he left Paradise some room to maneuver—"A Midsummer Night's Dream" aside. If they used teleportation magic now, it would be like posting "Hey, hey, I'm a high-ranking official of Paradise" on their faces.
Painter continued, observing Nol's expression with a smiling gaze.
"The old foxes at the Temple will likely focus on finding Drake and bring him to Bissus, the Holy Land. Believe me, that's not a pleasant place. The Goddess will see through you completely."
Nol: "…Uh."
No, thank you. Just the thought was torturous. This was tantamount to him delivering the newborn Demon King on a platter to them.
"You're quite talkative today." Teest snorted.
"I have no choice." Painter sighed. "That's Eugene… In my view, the two of you, plus Fischer, might even be considered 'candidates for the new Demon King'."
Nol felt guilty for a second.
Then, he caught on—indeed, theoretically, such a "replacement" could be possible. The system didn't specify where the new Demon King must stay. The problem was, Painter must have also thought of this. Why would he…
Teest spoke first. "Maybe I am the newborn Demon King, and you're helping me?"
Painter smiled.
That smile was complex. For a moment, the frivolous air incongruent with his age vanished, his eyes suddenly filled with age.
"The so-called 'gods' only respond to high-ranking Chosen Ones. No matter what the Chosen Ones seek, no matter how much suffering remains on this land, the gods do not care—I've said before, in my opinion, 'choosing' should mean people choosing gods. Compared to gods who ignore everything, I prefer those with a softer heart."
"Last night, I was close enough. After the Demon King vanished, there were not one but two new 'god-like auras'. One stronger, the other weaker… It doesn't matter who it is. If I'm not mistaken, you two won't separate."
Nol's hair stood on end. Painter was just short of saying, "I know the Demon King is among you two."
Nol looked into those eyes, resembling green fluorite. He found no fear, no caution, no subservience—there was only calmness in Painter's gaze.
"Don't worry, Miss Anakin probably hasn't noticed. The perceptions of people not of this world are quite dull. Fischer's level isn't high enough to distinguish that clearly," Painter calmly added.
Teest's fingers lingered on the "Betrayer", gripping then loosening. Nol gently patted his back, and he lowered his hand again.
"I guess this is a sign of trust," Nol said. "Does this mean you're willing to share the secrets of the dragon race with me?"
Painter scratched his face, his smile turning from sorrowful to awkward. "Well, that's possible. We can talk in detail later. But, look, about my reward for helping defeat the Demon King…"
It still came back to this. Nol didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Just name your price."
Indeed, still a cunning old fox. Bringing up the price again at this time, he couldn't help but reconsider the cost of "hush money".
"You're too generous. I really need to think this through!" Painter's face glowed with excitement.
"It's not over yet."
Teest bared his teeth, as if Painter had directly reached into his wallet. "I've always wondered, how are you so sure that a 'Demon King' counts as a kind of 'god'?"
Painter waved his hand. "My oracle is quite special. It allows me to make certain deductions."
"What oracle?"
"Ah, that's another price, Mr. Mad Monk. Rather than worrying about my pitiful privacy, you should think about how to disguise and escape—the Investigation Knights aren't so easily fooled."
With that, Painter directly canceled the soundproofing magic, letting everyone hear the last part of his sentence.
The three Players cast odd looks at Teest, who was grinding his teeth, while only Fischer remained serious.
"The Investigation Knights will not target Players."
Fischer stepped forward respectfully, bowing to Teest. "If it's just about relocating the two Lords, I have a way."
"As do I," Painter said.
"I can give you both the identities of Eternal Church followers. We're close to the borders of Shiva, and to the north is Gratice. Ice Rock City is the stronghold of the Eternal Church, and the nearby Temple's power is weak." Fischer straightforwardly ignored Painter.
"Heading north is a good idea, but don't underestimate those guys from the Temple," Painter persistently interjected. "The monks aren't safe enough—they'll probably turn everyone inside out. Except…"
Fischer slowly turned his head, casting a subtle glance at Painter.
"I think the Evergreen Nuns are a better choice." Painter patted his chest. "I can play the perfect 'old nun teacher', guaranteeing no leaks. As for you… hmm, a little transformation will do."
"…What?" Nol was bewildered.
Their previous conversation was so shocking, but he wasn't as baffled as he was now.
Even he knew that Evergreen Nuns, like Evergreen Monks, were around sixteen or seventeen years old, not yet qualified to become official clergy.
The youthful Fischer might pass, but both he and Teest were over 1.8 meters tall—clearly adults. Pretend to be nuns? What kind of joke was that?
Now Nol truly believed that Painter didn't care at all about the "Demon King" title. He dared to propose such absurd ideas to the newborn Demon King!
"First go to Gratice, then teleport near the Dragon's Lair in the Temple's detection blind spot? Mm." Fischer nodded.
'Fischer didn't care… Well, as a former cultist of the Eternal Church, he probably didn't have something like a "bottom line",' Nol thought to himself, speechlessly.
"Then why are you coming along?" Teest clicked his tongue at Painter.
Nol incredulously looked at those around him—wait, are you sure that's the point?
"Being by your side is the safest. That's one reason," Painter said cheerfully. "And secondly, the secrets of the dragon race—such things aren't suitable to be discussed in secret. It's safest told by a dragon itself! I can introduce you to my friends in the Dragon's Lair for free, offering guidance services."
"…Damn." Teest looked displeased.
"That's settled then," Fischer said.
Nol painfully looked towards the three Players—Abandon and Solo's gazes wandered, while Anakin's gaze carried a bit more pity. Different reactions, but the same schadenfreude.
"Are you sure…" Nol desperately gestured at his and Teest's height.
"The Investigation Knights won't notice…" He mercilessly went on, revealing the muscular physique under the Mad Monk's fabric.
"…We're men?" Finally, Nol tugged at his and Teest's distinctly masculine faces.
"I can solve that problem," Fischer said, warily scanning the three Players. "It's not suitable to discuss here. We'll talk later."
...
After nearly a day's effort, Hot Ash finally sent the elite group up the Brick Mountains.
As Eugene guessed, Amazon had made perfect preparations for reception. From assisting down the mountain to arranging the camp for the injured, everything was fully prepared. Descending the mountain hardly cost him any effort, and Hot Ash finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He shared everything that happened in Brick Shadow without reservation with Amazon's leader, Dorothy.
Next, it was just praying for the safe return of the rest, and if they could bring back news of the Demon King, that would be even better…
The news he received far exceeded his wildest imagination—Anakin had found some formidable people from who knows where, who directly dealt with the ancient Demon King. The system immediately released a main quest, with rewards that were very tempting.
Not having a conflict with Paradise was really great. This was a surefire main storyline force!
"The quest says, ' God will fulfill your wish'." Hot Ash spoke with anticipation. "Meaning, as long as we defeat the newborn Demon King, everyone can go home!"
Dorothy didn't seem as excited. She slowly scrolled through the quest description, chewing on every word.
"The ancient Demon King's death is a bit mysterious," she said in a deep voice. "The tough nut that the so-called two gods couldn't crack back in the day, was taken down by a small team of mortals?"
"It's definitely that kind of trope. The two gods struggle with the Demon King, both sides suffer, and then a hero of the era delivers the final blow—next, we get on good terms with those heroes, and also with Paradise…"
As a professional gamer, Hot Ash was actually quite young. The moment he saw hope of returning home, his leadership aura vanished, and he became like a child dancing with joy.
"I have my reservations." Dorothy shook her head. "Hermitage, an organization without faith, has received this too. Things are a bit delicate… If religion isn't a mandatory choice in this world, why is the reward a 'promise from God'? The system could have directly made the reward 'any wish of the Player'.'"
"Dong Jie, nitpicking like this is no fun." Hot Ash felt as if he was doused with cold water. His tone slightly shifted unhappily. "I didn't even fuss about you not coming to the rescue… Aren't you being overly cautious?"
"As long as people can truly die here, no amount of caution is too much." Dorothy pursed her lips. "I suggest we—"
Before she could finish, two of her subordinates almost simultaneously entered the tent.
One was bubbling with excitement. "Anakin and the others are back!"
The other looked puzzled. "A messenger from the Alva Merchant Group requests an audience."
Outside the tent.
Surrounded by many beautiful girls, Abandon consciously sucked in his stomach, trying to stand straight.
Even if it was a win by lying down, he participated in the subjugation of the Demon King. Not only did he level up several times, but he also brought back the white steel longsword "Knight's Loyalty". Following Paradise turned out to be the right gamble!
Just before entering the camp, Anakin made him sign a weird system contract—about the Master of Paradise and his succubus knight, Abandon couldn't reveal a single word to the outside, and had to pretend to know nothing if asked.
Filled with gratitude for being led by Paradise, Abandon signed very decisively. Only afterwards did he start to feel something was amiss. "Why though?"
"Paradise wants to keep a low profile. They were just helping me with a quest. Who knew we'd run into Eugene and the others."
Anakin put on a stern face, exuding the aura of a formidable senior. "I'll report to Hot Ash. If you accidentally spill the beans to someone with bad intentions, our relationship with Paradise could be ruined."
"Then I'll definitely not say a word! The team leader is like my own brother!" Abandon patted his chest loudly.
Having gained a great advantage, he still had this much loyalty. "But there can't be a mole inside the Saints Guild, right? We're all comrades-in-arms…"
"That's not necessarily true. Some people have bad brains, some people can't keep their mouths shut, and some idiots have both problems."
Sensing a presence not far away, Anakin lifted her head, her mouth twitching. "…The perfect example just showed up."
A few steps away stood a representative from the Alva Merchant Group.
This time it wasn't the arrogant Barto, but "Golden Sword" Enbillick Alva himself.
The Alva Merchant Group seldom ventured into such dangerous territories, let alone sent such a high-profile envoy. Golden Sword couldn't have teleported here. He must have set off days ago—Barto, that idiot, must have leaked the information sent to Amazon.
"Good afternoon, beautiful miss." Enbillick smiled and gave a hat-tip greeting.
...
"You two need to drink this." Fischer carefully took out two small bottles.
Nol recognized the familiar scent. It was somewhat like the "Time Reversion" blood potion, but with slight differences. The deadly smell couldn't even be contained by the bottle, bringing back unpleasant memories and making Nol's stomach churn.
"What is this?" Teest asked, pinching his nose.
"The Investigation Knights excel at uncovering magic. We can only use this." Fischer explained, "This is an 'Age Reversal' blood potion, capable of reversing a person's physical age. The potion is distributed once every thirty years, only available to archbishops and above—each bottle can reverse ten years, so the more you work, the more you get."
No wonder Fischer appeared so youthful.
"I specifically diluted and adjusted it, reducing age by ten years, with effects lasting a week. There's no need to worry about changing your constitution."
Nol: "..."
The Eternal Church really does have everything.
He looked despairingly at the Endless Sea, accepting the bottle.
The author has something to say:
The new Demon King and Doom Knight, stepping onto the stage of history!
But in nun's clothing (.
Kinky Thoughts:
Oh, do I sense some throwbacks to Stray? Adrian drinking that age reversal potion… Them sneaking into a school… Nian Zhong was like… I really like that university arc. Let's amp it up a bit and have the MCs cross dress this time.
Damn… Now I need fanart of Nemo and Ollie in nuns clothing.