Chapter 11: The Imperial Audience and a Curious Reward

Calamity Demons are truly terrifying creatures from the abyss. Each time they appear, immense destruction is inevitable, marking them as nightmarish entities. Yet, these formidable Calamity Demons are relegated to the lowest echelons within Starfall Palace, treated merely as laborers.

Xiamiya had no understanding of what Starfall Palace truly was, nor why such a dreadful place existed.

She only knew that this was the very origin of Calamity Demons, the greatest threat to global peace. Should the monsters within Starfall Palace ever lose control, the entire world would face utter annihilation.

The quarterly Imperial Audience was held precisely to appease these monsters, preventing them from wreaking havoc.

According to You, the monsters within Starfall Palace harbored an extraordinary obsession with the Evil God—who was, in fact, Xiamiya herself. If given the chance, they would gladly cling to her side three hundred and ninety-nine days a year.

Naturally, Xiamiya vehemently opposed this; she was terrified of those creatures. If they were to constantly remain by her side, wouldn’t she eventually suffer a complete mental breakdown?

Moreover, what if those monsters discerned her abnormality, sensing the Holy Maiden’s power within her? They would undoubtedly brand her a spy, attempting to usurp the Evil God’s authority, then tear her limb from limb and feed her to other Calamity Demons.

Death was a truly terrifying prospect, and Xiamiya had no desire to die again.

However, to prevent these monsters from spiraling out of control due to her prolonged absence, Xiamiya had negotiated with You. This ultimately led to the establishment of the quarterly Imperial Audience.

****

In her private chambers, the Evil God Miss Xiamiya was currently before a mirror, meticulously adjusting her attire.

Xiamiya had shed her flimsy nightgown, now adorned in an exquisitely designed gown. Its black base accentuated her cold allure, while white embellishments lent her an air of untouchable nobility.

The ensemble perfectly contoured her figure, making her appear both mysterious and regal, like a queen emerging from the shadows.

After all, this particular garment had been specially prepared for Xiamiya by You.

Gazing at her reflection, Xiamiya carefully smoothed her skirt, striving for unparalleled elegance in every movement. This served both to familiarize herself with the gestures and to compose her mind.

Gradually, she concealed her worries and anxieties, her expression transforming from apprehension to one of calm composure.

‘Come on! You can do this, Xiamiya! You won’t let those guys see through you!’

The cherry-haired maiden clenched her small fists, continuously reassuring herself.

Having bolstered her resolve, our great Evil God Miss opened the door and proceeded towards the palace hall. As the grand doors swung open, Xiamiya’s aura completely transformed; every step exuded supreme dignity and power, bearing no resemblance to her former timid self.

You, who had been patiently waiting by the door, offered a faint smile before silently falling in behind Xiamiya like a loyal attendant, just as he had through thousands of past trials.

Together, they advanced towards the hall.

As she walked, Xiamiya continued to encourage herself inwardly.

‘I remember,’ she thought, ‘the first time I attended an Imperial Audience, I was so terrified by the array of Starfall Palace monsters below that I fainted on the spot.’

Although Xiamiya had managed to bluff her way through it later, using “testing your loyalty” as an excuse, such a pretext clearly wouldn’t work a second time.

The previous incident might have already led many within Starfall Palace to question her identity.

‘This time, then! Everything must go smoothly!’

‘Besides, I’m not the same as I was before. It’ll definitely be fine!’

With this mindset, Xiamiya entered the hall, brimming with ‘confidence.’

****

Then, the adorable Evil God Miss discovered she had been gravely mistaken.

At this moment, Xiamiya sat upon a luxurious sofa, with You silently hovering behind her, as was his custom.

Before Xiamiya, a dense, shadowy mass of abyssal demons, each distinct in form, had already gathered. Some were covered in thick scales, others bore razor-sharp fangs, while some lacked a defined shape, drifting like malevolent spirits.

Yet, without exception, every abyssal entity present radiated an aura so dreadful it could instill despair and terror in any human.

The terrifying power of the Calamity Demons’ dark abyss enveloped the entire Snow Lotus Palace. Even the sunlight filtering into the hall through the windows seemed to take on a reddish hue, tainted by this oppressive aura.

What’s more, Xiamiya realized that the Starfall Palace demons present before her this time were far more numerous than three months prior! Their auras, too, were several magnitudes stronger!

Under the terrifying suppression of this power, Xiamiya’s heart trembled uncontrollably. It was fortunate she was seated on the sofa; otherwise, she couldn’t help but wonder if her legs would simply give out, leaving her to collapse onto the floor, utterly paralyzed with fear.

‘Damn it!! You, you scoundrel!! How many monsters did you secretly summon using my body?! You must have messed around while I was asleep!’

At this thought, Xiamiya couldn’t help but glare ‘fiercely’ at You out of the corner of her eye. You, as always, remained impassive, floating silently in place.

Helpless, Xiamiya forced herself to appear calm, redirecting her gaze to the abyssal demons surrounding her.

Confronted by such a horde of monsters, Xiamiya felt like a tiny white rabbit among a pack of wolves, a plump piece of meat on a chopping block, a pitiful creature destined to be devoured at any moment.

An oppressive stillness hung in the air, broken only by the occasional low rumble of breathing.

Having stabilized her composure, Xiamiya then drew upon the fruits of her training from the past few months.

The Xiamiya of now bore no trace of the timid princess she once was. Every glance and movement naturally exuded absolute control over these terrifying beings.

She sat elegantly on the sofa in the center of the Snow Lotus Palace hall, her posture poised and dignified. Her gaze swept over each demon present, silent yet brimming with deterrence.

****

Upon sensing Xiamiya’s gaze, these powerful abyssal demons, who had been kneeling with their heads bowed almost to the ground in utter subservience, now raised their heads. Their eyes, gleaming with adoration and awe, fixed upon Xiamiya.

‘Well,’ Xiamiya thought, ‘to me, those gazes are indistinguishable from scrutiny.’

After taking a deep breath, the Evil God Miss adopted an air of disinterest, signaling her desire to conclude matters swiftly. She crossed one leg over the other and calmly took a sip of tea, which was, incidentally, heavily laced with tranquilizers.

“If there’s anything, speak plainly. I am quite busy.”

****

As her words faded, the Calamity Beasts, who had not heard their Evil God’s voice in a long time, immediately erupted into excited growls.

Then, amidst the subdued growls, a white-haired maiden kneeling at the forefront of the Calamity Demons eagerly and excitedly spoke up:

“Evil God, my Lady! Let me speak first, let me speak first!!”

The first to speak was Xianming, the Star God, who held an extraordinary status among the Calamity Demons.

“Evil God, my Lady! As your most capable subordinate, all those presumptuous individuals who dared to offend you last night have been completely annihilated by me! This includes those who hid in the mountains to observe! Absolutely no one was left alive! Furthermore, all actions were carried out precisely according to your demands, leaving not a single trace!”

After her impassioned declaration, Xianming’s azure eyes brimmed with anticipation, seemingly eager for Xiamiya’s commendation.

Xiamiya did not disappoint her; she nodded with a hint of satisfaction.

“No traces? That is… acceptable.”

“Then, Evil God, my Lady!”

“Hm?”

“Is there, is there a reward?”

“A reward?”

“Yes, yes.”

Xianming nodded repeatedly.

“Last time, Evil God, my Lady, you said that if I perfectly completed another mission, I would receive a reward! So, Evil God, my Lady, could you, could you give me a single, a single drop of your blood?!”

With her fingers interlaced, Xianming gazed at Xiamiya with an expression of profound piety.

“This…”

Meeting Xianming’s starry eyes, the Evil God Miss found herself momentarily speechless.

‘After I conned this fellow into helping me eliminate the beasts that were harming the farmlands last time, I think I did promise her something like that. But… a drop of blood? How could I possibly give her that?!!’

Although she didn’t understand why these creatures constantly craved her blood, Xiamiya knew deep down that she absolutely could not hand over her blood to these monsters. After all, her blood might contain traces of Holy Spirit power, and if that power were discovered by these Calamity Demons, she would be utterly finished!!

‘But, what if I don’t give her my blood? How, how am I supposed to handle her?’

Staring at Xianming’s face, Xiamiya’s inner anxiety began to skyrocket.

‘Though this girl appears harmless, Xiamiya knew perfectly well that she was an executioner who had slaughtered countless beings, a monster capable of smiling while dissecting her enemies sword stroke by sword stroke. If she were to displease her? Would she simply chop her into pieces?!’

At this moment, Xiamiya bit her lip, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.

“Blood, if it’s blood…”

Just as Xiamiya was caught in her dilemma, You, standing beside her, reprimanded Xianming.

“The Evil God’s blood is a supreme gift. To dare demand it after completing such a minor task? Xianming, you are far too presumptuous.”

“Ah? …Wuwuwu…”

Xianming seemed about to retort, but upon feeling You’s chilling gaze, she dared not speak further, instead lowering her head pitifully.

“Wuwu, but, the Evil God, my Lady, promised me…”

However, just as Xianming’s spirits began to sink, You spoke again.

“Of course, my Master would not forget her prior promise. Therefore… my Master has already prepared your reward.”

Xiamiya: ‘???’

“A reward?”

Hearing this, the disappointment in Xianming’s eyes vanished instantly. She excitedly raised her head, looking at You.

Then, under Xianming’s expectant gaze and Xiamiya’s bewildered sidelong glance, a silver light danced in You’s hand. Immediately after, a tiny, exquisite glass vial was summoned forth by You, slowly drifting before Xianming.

“This is Ethereal Crystal Fluid, imbued with the Evil God’s power. It is your reward this time.”

“How, how wonderful!! Thank you for your magnificent gift, Evil God, my Lady!!”

Gazing at the small vial and sensing the aura emanating from it, Xianming instantly broke into a joyful smile. She eagerly clasped the bottle to her chest.

Then, she directed an excited and grateful look towards Xiamiya.

In response, Xiamiya could only suppress her awkwardness, offering a faint smile and feigning an expression that suggested everything was perfectly under control.

‘Enmmm, it seems? Everything’s fine?’

Though somewhat bewildered, successfully appeasing this great harbinger of death undoubtedly brought Xiamiya a wave of relief.

‘But, Ethereal Crystal Fluid? What on earth is that? When did I ever make something like this?’

For a moment, as she watched Xianming cradle the small vial like a precious treasure, a cascade of questions flooded the cherry-haired maiden’s mind.

Staring at the small bottle, observing the liquid within, our Evil God Miss had a faint, strange feeling.

‘Come to think of it, after my bubble bath last night, the water in the tub… it was this color, wasn’t it?’

‘Enmm, what a coincidence…’