Since the dungeon extended above ground, Victor has provided a great deal of useful information. Even though his memory was impaired and he had spent several hundred years underground in complete ignorance, to Tasa—a complete outsider—the down-and-out former demon lord remained an indispensable beginner's guide. However, since the Book of the Dungeon had long been kept in the central hall or library—places no one ever entered—and only Tasha knew of its existence, suddenly making it public was clearly going to be a bit of a hassle.
What about presenting Victor as a scholar who had lived in seclusion for many years? Unfortunately, the window of opportunity for that excuse had long since passed. Over a decade ago, when the Nightfall Front had just been established, the people of Tasmarin State were accustomed to strange strangers—to use an inapt analogy, it was like seeing herds of animals that were normally unseen emerge during a forest fire. But now, the entire realm of Eryan has stabilized once again.
Professionals and minorities no longer need to hide. Tasmalin State has established a relatively comprehensive social security system, and the benefits of being incorporated into this system far outweigh those of remaining outside it. The Tasmalin government has also earned sufficient credibility over the past few years, and most people are willing to believe that the Governor will neither turn against them nor collapse in the short term. Conditions within the Empire are beginning to resemble those of Tasmalin State when the defense lines were first established. Persecuting "ethnic minorities"—the current official term; derogatory terms like "aliens" no longer appear in public—is illegal. Propaganda and mobilization campaigns are everywhere. In preparation for the impending Abyss invasion, extraordinary individuals have shed the predicament of hiding for over a century and are now entering a spring of development.
The global landscape has undergone massive changes over the past two decades, like a box that's been picked up and shaken; even those who've lived in the deepest seclusion have become aware of the world's upheaval. Following these shifts, population movements have largely stabilized, and the household registration system—updated once during the standoff between the Empire and Tasmalin—has become quite sophisticated. Furthermore, just a few years ago, when news of the impending opening of the Abyss portal spread across the world, all major Abyss researchers stepped into the public eye. The credibility of a "long-reclusive Abyss researcher" suddenly emerging now is truly questionable.
So, should Victor remain behind the scenes, with all his knowledge published under someone else's name?
If it were merely superficial Abyss knowledge, one could indeed leverage the authority of a previous Abyss researcher—that elderly mage who inherited the knowledge of the Cretaceous Academy. But this new knowledge delves deep into the Abyss itself, and Welbert has publicly admitted on several occasions that he is absolutely incapable of reaching that realm.
"I am merely a compiler of past knowledge; my understanding of the Abyss cannot surpass that of my predecessors," the old mage emphasized in the preface to every monster compendium he compiled. "The Abyss is like a vast, chaotic, and dangerous laboratory. Even after a lifetime of research, I have only scratched the surface of the lower-tier monsters, while I know nothing of those mysterious high-tier demons."
His words have been quoted and celebrated time and again, embodying the scholar's rigorous and humble academic spirit, while also serving as a warning against complacency—that possessing a single monster compendium does not mean one need fear the Abyss that lies ahead. When Verbert spoke so definitively back then, he certainly could not have foreseen that a correction would be needed years later—the old mage had been far too absolute in his statements, fearing that after his death, someone might use his words to spout nonsense. And now, here we are: knowledge beyond the scope of his research has suddenly emerged. Surely this cannot be the result of a dream.
Besides, Victor's existence couldn't be concealed forever.
Before the true form of the Wrath Demon Saimon arrived, its avatar died and returned. It's unclear how much information about the Tower Sand the demon lords of the Abyss gleaned from it, but they certainly know Victor is still here. Once the passage opens and the war begins, the Abyss won't just rely on brute force.
"Don't underestimate the demons," Victor said. "Exploiting the weaknesses in human hearts is a specialty of many demons. During past demonic plagues, the greatest challenge facing the people of the world wasn't just the powerful enemies on the battlefield, but the corruption of their own kind."
Imagine what would happen if, in the heat of battle, the existence of Victor, the Serpent of Lies, were suddenly revealed?
The dungeons of Tarsha were originally Victor's legacy, and his soul does indeed reside here. These two truths alone are enough to fabricate a narrative about a "battered demon lord who has reinvented himself and is using the Nest Mother to rule over humanity." Tarsha now once again possesses the aura of the Abyss and has even received its favor; rumors that are half-truth, half-lie are the hardest to dispel. Therefore, in matters like this, we must not simply conceal the truth and hand the initiative over to the enemy.
This does not mean we should reveal the truth.
Victor's appearance follows the exploration and development of the White Tower Ruins—an ancient mage's tower sealed away for years, whose master was a renowned archmage known as the Lord of Evil Spirits. This background offers ample opportunities for exploitation. Tash has already prepared a solution: regarding Victor's true identity, the authorities have remained ambiguous, neither confirming nor denying the various speculations. All the necessary groundwork has been laid. Should the Abyss attempt to exploit Victor in the future, we can easily adapt our strategy to counter any move.
The Abyss invasion is imminent; there is clearly no time to take a subtle, gradual approach. The current situation is much like when we announced the existence of the Abyss portal: we're not afraid of controversy, but we are afraid of a lack of reaction.
The gossip surrounding the Magistrate generated a far greater response than Tashan had anticipated, and a slight shift in focus was unavoidable. After all, compared to the weighty tales of the Abyss and the various decryptions requiring meticulous research, the topics the general public relished… were rather more mundane.
According to later statistics, the number of newborns named "Victor" rose sharply that year. Eager newspapers interviewed these parents, who all remarked that regardless of who this Victor was—whether he possessed genuine talent or was merely putting on a show—he was certainly very lucky! "No matter what, this Victor must be a very capable person," said one expectant mother. "Even if he's a fraud, isn't the ability to deceive the Magistrate itself a remarkable talent? No, that's actually far more impressive than being an Abyss scholar!"
After obtaining a physical form, Victor outfitted himself in a style that resembled clothing from centuries past yet incorporated a touch of modern flair. As the Abyss Series gained traction and his public profile rose, this particular outfit unexpectedly became a trend. The first to adopt the look were artists who had met Victor; they did so partly to show their support for him, but also because they genuinely found the ensemble to be both vintage and elegant. This trend spread from the realm of painting into the fashion design world, where businesses seized the commercial opportunity and began releasing a "Abyss Scholar" clothing line.
Calling it the "Abyss Scholar Series" was a complete misnomer. Victor was a man of good character who enjoyed life (and was quite vain); the "vintage" style he embraced was actually that of ancient noble court attire. What does a genuine Abyss Scholar actually look like? While Abyss researchers have no prescribed uniform, they all unconsciously adopt the same look as the old mage Verbert—in other words, they wear simple robes that haven't changed in centuries, taking pride in their unkempt appearance.
By capitalizing on the reputation of Abyss Scholars, merchants are merely playing a well-known game of skirting the rules—cashing in on Victor's popularity while simultaneously currying favor with him and the Archmagus behind him. They've made a huge fuss about paying Victor a hefty "consulting fee." This approach to promotion—and the art of sucking up—is truly refreshing and full of integrity. This clothing line has been flying off the shelves and has garnered excellent word-of-mouth. Many high-minded individuals who refuse to associate with the common crowd have stated that wearing these items is by no means a bow to a court jester, but purely an appreciation of beauty. The saying that fashion goes in cycles every few years is certainly true.
Of course, with Victor rising to fame in this manner, he has no shortage of opponents.
Before the incident, Magistrate Natasha was essentially a mysterious, flawless figure on a pedestal. Many worshipped and revered her like a deity from ancient times ("If the celestial realm still existed and you could deify someone, this level of devotion might just instantly elevate you to the status of a powerful supreme god like Saro," Victor remarked), while others hated her with a passion. But ultimately, the vast majority did not view her as an ordinary person. Now that this once-in-a-lifetime scandal has erupted, Natasha finally seems a bit more human. After the initial chaos subsided, many of her former admirers have shifted into full-blown fanatic mode.
It bears repeating: Governor Natasha enjoys immense popularity. She is a remarkable figure who has accomplished many historic feats and altered the destinies of countless people. Beyond that, she is exceptionally beautiful—her portrait graces the highest denomination of Dwarf currency, and following Tasmalin State's partnership with the Empire, it also appears on an Imperial coin. Even with her appearance slightly altered, and even without the aura of her office, her beauty is widely acknowledged. The people of Tasmalin speak of her with pride, as if discussing a captivating mountain in their homeland.
So, let's draw a parallel with the following two attitudes among Earthlings:
"What? That's our sacred mountain! It must not be desecrated! How dare anyone get so close to the sacred mountain!"
"What? My idol is dating someone?! What does that slutty, vulgar woman have that makes her worthy of dating my idol?!"
...It's easy to understand what happened.
When the scandal first broke, countless people, without a second thought, unleashed a torrent of abuse on this suddenly appearing Mr. Victor. A huge crowd bought the book, brimming with pent-up anger, and opened the cover, ready to vent their pent-up resentment. Before opening the book, they had already prepared their lines, waiting to point at Victor and shout, "Hey! Does a person like this even deserve to be linked to the Archon in a scandal? Doesn't he even look at his own face?!" But when the book opened, they could probably only manage to shout the first half of that line.
Victor's illusion only concealed the horns on his head; his face and hair remained unchanged, and to this day, that face still aligns perfectly with the aesthetic standards of the Material Plane. Staring at his face, these people found themselves unable to finish their tirade.
"Outlandish attire! He doesn't look like a scholar at all!" they could only criticize in this manner, their tone filled with frustration and indignation. "He's just relying on that face!"
At one of Victor's book signings, someone in the crowd spoke these words aloud. The subject of their discussion had no intention of letting the matter drop or pretending not to notice; he immediately stopped writing and said in surprise, "Who said I'm all about my looks?"
The heckler in the crowd, of course, didn't step forward. The host on stage tried to smooth things over, saying, "Mr. Victor has long proven the wisdom in his mind…"
"No, no, no—you've misunderstood me," Victor said, not the least bit embarrassed and with a completely serious expression. "I also have an impeccable physique, don't I?"
The host was momentarily taken aback by this unexpected reply. At that point, people weren't quite sure what kind of person Victor was, and for a moment, they were all at a loss for words. "That's more like it," the instigator said, still not satisfied, nodding contentedly at the host who was forcing a smile. "Natasha likes it too."
The press absolutely adored Victor.
He was a veritable bombshell of a topic; even when he wasn't in the spotlight, people were still fighting over him. Whatever he said or did sparked massive discussion and attention—with him around, there was never a shortage of material to fill the pages. Tash secretly believed that Victor was Arian's very first global superstar.
Mr. Victor, who was as famous as he was hated, remained calm. Just as Tash had predicted, he wasn't the least bit affected—in fact, he was in high spirits. What demon would be heartbroken by others' dislike and malice? Victor was clearly relishing it all; sometimes he'd even laugh out loud while reading the newspapers. The only thing missing was him personally stepping into the fray to stir things up—oh, but he had indeed stepped in. This demon's ability to generate hype was truly astonishing, and Tasmarin was more than happy to make full use of it. Only when Victor went too far and was reined in would he clutch his heart and lament his sacrifice for love—purely acting cute and playing the victim.
The media in Tasmalin State has largely focused on Victor's "charm offensive," while the Empire has taken things even further. The sharp exchanges of past media wars have now turned into mischievous schadenfreude.
They report on the heart-wrenching despair of the Magistrate's fans, and have even begun gossiping about the Magistrate herself—after all, their boss isn't the Magistrate. A series of authoritative-sounding essays suddenly appeared, ranging from "The Twelve Qualities Preferred by Magistrate Natasha" and "The Fashion and Artistic Taste That Captivates the Magistrate" to "Let's Break Down What Kind of Looks Win the Magistrate's Favor" and "The Men and Women Suspected of Being the Magistrate's Secret Lovers"—diverse and all-encompassing.
Media in the Empire used to be much more tightly controlled than in Tasmalin State, but due to the unique nature of the standoff between the two sides, the Empire has maintained a significant lead for years when it comes to entertainment news targeting Tasmalin State.
Many ordinary citizens in Tasmalin State were furious over these stories meant to entertain the Consul. As usual, they began voicing their protests through online flame wars and retaliated by digging up old gossip about high-ranking Imperial officials—the spectating Imperial leader found himself caught in the crossfire even while lying down. Eventually, he had to step in to curb the spread of such low-brow rumors, but that is a story for another time.
That said, while the people of Tasmalin State were filled with righteous indignation, in recent months, countless people—regardless of age or gender—have gone to dye their hair white.
It's quite a coincidence, really. Among those close to the Consul, Marion also has white hair and dark skin. She accompanied Tasmalin to the peace treaty signing ceremony, and the two of them even appeared together in that photo—one that's bound to appear in history books. Now, the title "White-Haired, Dark-Skinned Enthusiast" seems to have stuck, and unless Tasmalin comes up with a new lover of a different color combination, it'll be hard to shake off.
This is actually a complete misunderstanding; Marion and Victor have virtually nothing in common. Even when it comes to their physical appearance, a closer look reveals significant differences. Marion's white hair feels like animal fur—soft and fluffy—and the texture on her head remains the same whether she's in wolf or human form; Victor's white hair, on the other hand, is stiff, standing up defiantly, and glints like碎银. Marion's skin is dark brown, like that of a wild young girl running barefoot along a Hawaiian beach; Victor's complexion, on the other hand, is perfect for any men's magazine, striking just the right balance between "wild" and "man-made," as tempting as chocolate.
The vast majority of onlookers had never seen Marion or Victor in person, let alone both of them together, so the rumor that "His Excellency the Magistrate has a thing for that sort" was quickly becoming common knowledge. No one dared to ask Tassa for confirmation (she was rarely seen anyway), but someone actually did ask Marion. The first stirrings of the paparazzi were emerging; brave reporters, driven by fearless spirit, even dared to interview a woman who, mere minutes earlier, had been a giant wolf.
"Do you feel any regret regarding His Excellency the Magistrate's choice?" the reporter coaxed gently.
"All of His Excellency's choices are correct!" Marion declared with unwavering certainty.
"Um, "I mean, regarding that 'Mr. Victor'…" The reporter had intended to ask Marion what she thought of this unknown upstart who'd suddenly won the Magistrate's affection, but recalling the giant wolf's dagger-sharp fangs from moments before, he decided against provoking her and instead chose a more cautious phrasing: "What are your thoughts on this 'Mr. Victor' and his admiration for His Excellency the Magistrate?"
"What's the problem? " Marion said, "A person as remarkable as His Excellency—anyone who doesn't love her must be blind!"
Had Marion shown even the slightest hint of anger or resentment—the kind of expression Tasmalin residents typically display during gossip sessions—the reporter could have embellished the story into a lengthy report titled "Ex-Lover Heartbroken," with a draft already prepared, easily running to over ten thousand words. But as the conversation veered in this direction, it came to a halt, and the interview could not continue.
Marion, the "Wolf Girl," had a very simple mindset: she believed Tasmania was the best place on earth and couldn't wait to let everyone
Whenever Marion showed the slightest hint of anger or resentment—expressions commonly seen among Tasmanians during gossip sessions—reporters would be quick to spin a sensational story about an "ex-lover's heartbreak." They'd already have the story drafted in their heads, and writing a lengthy piece of over ten thousand words would be a breeze. But as the conversation veered in this direction, the dialogue came to a halt, and the interview could not continue.
Marion, the "She-Wolf," had a very simple mindset. She believed Tasmania was the best place on earth and couldn't wait for everyone to know how wonderful it was; she thought it was perfectly natural for anyone to love her. And because Tasmania was the best place on earth, Marion felt that whatever choice she made must have a valid reason. If she wasn't smart enough to figure out the intent, she reasoned, she should just support it. Such innocent and open-hearted thoughts, paradoxically, built an impenetrable wall of steel and bronze. Anyone who tried to hint that she was the former lover of the Magistrate ended up coming away empty-handed.
Victor felt particularly dejected. In the past, he'd read about a bunch of people he couldn't stand, with the wolf girl Marion and the Holy Son of Saro, Samuel, at the top of the list. Now that he'd finally obtained a body that allowed him to meet them face-to-face, and had brazenly snatched away (or been snatched away by) the boss they all revered, Victor practically looked forward to them coming to his door every day to pick a fight! He's ready for a verbal or physical showdown now, but when he rolls up his sleeves, he finds no enemies coming—and Natasha won't even let him go pick a fight. How utterly disheartening for a demon.
Half a month later, an upgraded version of the rumor surfaced, and Victor's dream finally came true.
The new rumor: Marion is Lady Natasha's illegitimate child.
Yes, they're implying that Marion's white hair and brown skin are hereditary.
They say there are five stages of grief after receiving bad news: denial, anger, bargaining, despair, and finally acceptance—and those who were struck by this scandal like a bolt from the blue were no exception. The various rumors progressed smoothly under Tasha and Victor's manipulation. Soon, veiled (and rapidly becoming common knowledge) whispers began to suggest that Victor wasn't as young as he appeared. This theory could explain Victor's vast store of knowledge; it could be interpreted as "he looks young for some reason," while also laying the groundwork for the future revelation that "Victor isn't human."
So…
Marion angrily declared that she was a beastman, and that her biological father—who had long since died a heroic death in battle—was naturally a beastman as well. To prove this point, she immediately transformed into a wolf and chased the reporter who dared to ask such a question down the street. Then she ran back to the dungeon, scratched open Victor's door, and got into a wild brawl with him.
The reason this happened is mainly because Marion is one of the few people who knows that Victor is more than just a scholar and a pretty-boy. Tasha, thinking ahead, had already tactfully told her, "Go ahead and beat him up—don't worry about killing him. But if you can't beat him, don't question your life; that's perfectly normal." Secondly, earlier that morning, when pressed to confirm his relationship with her, Victor had delivered a masterfully crafted speech—one in which not a single word was a lie, yet every word was designed to mislead—which directly led to the hapless reporter brazenly confronting Marion that afternoon. When a devil wants to stir up trouble, he doesn't even need to utter a single swear word.
The duel raged until the sky grew dark and furniture flew through the air. It lasted nearly an hour and looked spectacular, but in reality, it took place under the supervision of (mature) adults and posed no real danger. Tashan, the dungeon that served as their arena, watched them brawl—or rather, watched Victor play the fool to provoke the wolf—with the same detached amusement one might feel watching a cat and dog at home fighting until their fur flies everywhere. There was none of the tension one might expect from a teary-eyed heroine rushing out to shout, "Don't fight over me!"
After the fight, Victor emerged victorious, and Marion wasn't actually angry. Her emotions were straightforward, and her way of thinking was quite animalistic—she was the kind of teammate you'd see in comics who could be tamed with a fist. This made Victor feel rather melancholy, unable to fully savor the fruits of his victory.
"She's much closer to me than she is to you," Victor taunted over the private channel between Tash and Marion.
"That's the adult's own choice. It's none of my business, and frankly, it's none of yours either." " Marion said bluntly.
"Aren't you worried I'll whisper sweet nothings in her ear and turn your master into a less wise and valiant figure?" Victor wasn't giving up.
"With you?" Marion asked, sounding puzzled.
She wasn't being sarcastic; she meant it, which made it even more devastating.
Tasha burst out laughing and had Ah Huang send a towel to Marion.