Chapter 7: A Dangerous Alliance and a Hidden Blade

Deep inside the noble castle of the small town, a middle-aged man with a fleshy face sat at the head of the table, his expression deeply troubled. Night had fallen hours ago, yet his son still hadn’t returned with any news, filling him with profound worry. The members of the Cult of the Evil God were known for their ruthlessness; if anything were to happen to his son, it would be a disaster.

After a long and anxious wait, Viscount Victor finally decided to go out and check on the situation. It was at this precise moment that Glot, who had been gone for so long, returned.

“Glot, you’re finally back! What’s the situation outside?”

“Don’t worry, Father. I handled it. Those members of the Cult of the Evil God? I’ve eliminated them all.”

“What?!”

Viscount Victor’s eyes widened. He seized Glot by the shoulders, his voice laced with disbelief. “You killed all of them?!”

Glot, dazed from being shaken by his father, stammered, “Father, when I arrived, the Cult of the Evil God’s… main forces had all been dispatched elsewhere. Only a few small fry remained, so I simply destroyed their stronghold while I was at it.”

“You!”

Viscount Victor’s face flushed crimson with anger, his body trembling uncontrollably. “I told you to destroy the evidence of our dealings with the Cult of the Evil God, not to provoke them!”

“Oh, Father, why be afraid of them? Didn’t the kingdom already issue an order to剿灭 the Cult of the Evil God?”

*Smack!*

A crisp slap landed on Glot’s face. He clutched his cheek, staring at his father in disbelief. “Father, you hit me?! You hit me for the sake of those cultists?!”

“We are no match for the Cult of the Evil God’s power. You destroyed their stronghold today; tomorrow, they could destroy our entire town, do you understand?!”

Just then, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows beyond the castle’s great hall. His face was obscured by mist, and in his hand, he held a slender, curved blade, from which faint traces of blood still dripped.

“Indeed, Viscount Victor. We’ve been collaborating for so long, yet I didn’t realize we still hadn’t earned your trust.”

“However… you still have some use to me…”

No sooner had he finished speaking than two tendrils of black mist shot from his body, heading straight for the father and son’s brows. In an instant, both felt a tremendous冲击 to their minds as the black mist directly ignited the hidden corruption deep within their bodies.

“This…!”

Viscount Victor trembled uncontrollably as he felt the changes in his body. These symptoms were precisely those of the legendary Evil God’s corruption. Yet, he himself had no idea when he had become afflicted.

Glot, still somewhat bewildered, drew his longsword, intending to fight the man to the death. But the moment he took a step, he felt his body being controlled by something unseen.

“Oh dear, it seems the corruption has begun. From now on, you’re one of us.”

“There are just over three months until Theovia Academy’s enrollment assessment. Now, I need you to infiltrate Theovia Academy using your current identities. These two vials of potion might guarantee your success in two of the trials. Don’t disappoint me, now.”

With that, the man vanished back into the shadows, leaving behind the two nobles, their bodies wreathed in black mist.

“Father… this… this thing…”

Glot swallowed hard, gazing at the two vials of dark liquid, a faint unease stirring within him.

“You good-for-nothing! Now look what you’ve done. We have no choice but to do their bidding, whether we want to or not.”

****

In the small courtyard shrouded by night, Gern sat cross-legged. Ever since stabilizing her cultivation as a First-Order Knight, she had been able to feel a broken shadow residing within her dantian. However, no matter how Gern tried to communicate with It, there was no response, leaving her utterly perplexed. Still, she didn’t dwell on it for too long. Suddenly, she sensed a malevolent aura wafting through the air.

This sensation was familiar. Gern quietly opened her eyes, gazing intently at the dark night sky. It seemed someone else had fallen victim to the Cult of the Evil God tonight. This realization intensified her inner urgency; she absolutely had to accelerate her cultivation. Ideally, she needed a righteous cultivation technique to achieve twice the results with half the effort.

She recalled her past life’s experiences, remembering that Theovia Academy would hold an enrollment assessment soon. Theovia Academy was currently the most prestigious institution on the continent, backed by the Witch Society. The members of the Witch Society were devoted to unraveling all the mysteries of the world, including those of the gods themselves—a veritable group of research fanatics. Gern had no intention of actually entering the academy, but their generosity was undeniable: anyone who participated in the assessment and ranked within the top ten would receive a high-quality cultivation technique. Perhaps Gern could seize this opportunity to acquire one.

Having decided her course of action, Gern resolved to initiate a series of training plans based on her knowledge from her previous life. She understood her own talent well; if she trained diligently, reaching Second-Order Knight within three months would be entirely achievable. However, she knew absolutely nothing about magic, so the path of a mage was not within her consideration.

****

During the time Gern was training, Lilia had not been idle. She had mobilized nearly all the resources within the small town to investigate the whereabouts of the Cult of the Evil God, but her efforts remained fruitless. With the academy assessment drawing ever closer, it was time for her to depart.

Lilia once again arrived at Gern’s small courtyard. Gazing at the dilapidated yard, a ripple of emotion stirred within her heart. Such a humble dwelling—the more Lilia looked, the more her heart ached. She couldn’t imagine how Gern, a young dragoness, managed to live all alone.

Just then, a young man suddenly walked out of the house. Upon seeing him, Lilia’s pupils contracted, and she instinctively reached for her sword. However, as her hand touched the hilt, she noticed the pendant hanging around the youth’s neck. Lilia frowned, deciding to remain still for now.

Gern was unaware of being watched. He, as usual, took out the magnificent golden longsword from the pendant and began to practice in the courtyard. His footwork was agile and elusive, and the longsword in his hand swished with powerful, whistling movements. Yet, the faint, dark crimson covering the golden blade made the sword art appear somewhat eerie. Lilia watched the scene unfold, recognizing the familiar footwork, and immediately let out a sigh of relief.

‘What was that? So it was just the little dragoness’s disguise,’ she thought. ‘I almost thought someone had killed her and stolen her treasures. It seems I worried for nothing.’ Such a masterful disguise, even she hadn’t detected a single flaw. Perhaps this was how the little dragoness managed to survive in the human world.

Hidden in the shadows, Lilia completely relaxed. She then discreetly memorized Gern’s appearance before cautiously departing.