Volume 3, Chapter 66 – The Collapsing Image

One day ago, the intelligence gathered by the ‘Nightingale’ organization regarding Xue Tian’ao was delivered to Lady Yumo. When these ‘shameful’ matters were dredged up from the depths and laid out before her, Lady Yumo, who was already in a bad mood, found her beautiful face clouded with lines of annoyance.

“Aside from using children’s souls to create Soul Crystals… patricide, the slaughter of siblings and other royals, the execution of meritorious officials, the erasure of southern nobles, the youngest of whom had only just been born… confiscating properties to replenish the treasury, invading neighboring small countries for resources and slaves, brainwashing the Royal Knights and the masses…”

As the information continued to flow into Yumo’s eyes, the black-haired girl’s expression grew increasingly somber; seeing this, the old butler Saibok, who silently accompanied her, imperceptibly revealed a faint smile and cast a ‘praising’ look at Xizhi nearby, while Xizhi triumphantly raised her eyebrows.

They had naturally included all the wicked deeds Xue Tian’ao had committed, things Lady Yumo would never approve of, in the report, even adding a bit of flavor to the specific details. Besides these true events, Xizhi had also secretly mixed in some of her own personal bias, causing Yumo’s impression of Xue Tian’ao to plummet. Not that she had any favorable feelings for him to begin with.

Immersed in the report and shocked by its contents, Lady Yumo didn’t notice the silent exchange between Saibok and Xizhi. However, as the full weight of the information settled in her mind, she leaned back against the sofa, deeply troubled. For five hundred years, Yumo’s image of the Chosen Son had always been a man overflowing with a sense of justice, brave, decisive, grateful, loyal, and upright.

Yet, her experiences after arriving at Sky Dome and the intelligence provided by Xizhi made her feel that this Chosen One was simply a despicable, shameless villain, utterly different from the Chosen Son in the prophecy.

Perhaps his policies such as sacrificing some citizens to create stronger saint tier beings, or eliminating siblings and southern nobles who might revolt could stabilize the country and be good for its long-term development. Maybe? Was it what an emperor should do? Yumo really wasn’t sure. But for the Chosen One, the representative of ‘justice’, to do these things? Yumo found it hard to accept. At the very least, compared to Mengxi, the gap was far too wide.

Not to mention, Yumo completely disapproved of some of Xue Tian’ao’s actions aimed at satisfying personal desires.

‘Perhaps Xiao was right. The current Chosen Son needs a good lesson.’

However, before making a final decision, Yumo still intended to meet Xue Tian’ao in person to see him alone. She wanted to see if she had any misunderstandings about him.

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As it turned out, she really hadn’t misunderstood him. In fact, she had fucking overestimated him.

Time returned to the present.

“Waaaaaaaah!”

Clutching his crotch, Xue Tian’ao no longer possessed the elegant image of a Chosen Son. His body curled on the ground, twitching incessantly with a distorted face, looking absolutely ridiculous. Looking at the Chosen One before her, Lady Yumo’s crimson eyes were filled with disappointment. Compared to the holy, pure, kind-hearted, and angelic Mengxi, Xue Tian’ao was the very definition of despicable, shameless, and vulgar.

When Xue Tian’ao utilized his power, Yumo realized that there was something wrong with the wine she had drunk earlier. Indeed, under Xue Tian’ao’s guidance, the wine rippled within Yumo’s body. However, it didn’t actually have any practical effect on her. Still, this power acting on her consciousness and attempting to control her made Yumo extremely displeased.

Afterward, Yumo fell silent, standing frozen in place like a wooden doll. She wanted to see exactly what Xue Tian’ao intended to do. As expected, the Chosen Son did not ‘disappoint’ her. Seeing Xue Tian’ao’s lustful eyes and his fingers drawing closer to her body, Yumo finally couldn’t help but explode. Although Yumo was often hugged by Mengxi, who was also the Chosen One, she felt an intense repulsion toward being touched by Xue Tian’ao.

‘He actually wanted to use drugs to control me? Then, do those things? How disgusting.’

‘Forcing the distortion of another’s consciousness to make them your woman? Your harem probably came about in the same way, didn’t it? If you’re doing this to me now, would you do the same later if Mengxi is unwilling to be with you? Bah!’

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Casting a cold glance at the fallen Xue Tian’ao, Yumo slowly stood up and sent him flying with a kick, causing him to crash heavily against a stone pillar nearby. The violent impact caused Xue Tian’ao immense pain, and blood instantly sprayed from the golden-haired man’s mouth.

“I really don’t understand how a guy like you became the Chosen Son. What right do you have…”

If not for the Goddess’s restriction preventing her from deliberately killing the Chosen One, Yumo would have truly felt the urge to kill just now. Additionally, considering that Xue Tian’ao was one of the keys to the trial, Yumo had to suppress the killing intent in her heart.

‘Sigh, how annoying.’

To avoid her possible impulses, Lady Yumo ignored Xue Tian’ao, who was lying there like a dead dog. She turned and walked straight toward the dining hall doors.

By now, Xue Tian’ao, who had successfully advanced to a ‘Holy Gun Ranger’ ¹ I’m not really sure what this means or references to… , felt the pain subside slightly. Having had experience, he gradually adapted to the lingering ache, and his consciousness began to clear. Looking at the black silhouette preparing to depart, a thick sense of resentment appeared in Xue Tian’ao’s azure eyes as he said with resentment, “You… you treat me like this… aren’t you afraid… that I’ll reveal your identity? If so… how can you ever set foot in the human world again?! You… your Blackrose Family… will surely… surely be condemned by the world!”

Lady Yumo temporarily paused her steps. She glanced back with the corner of her eye at Xue Tian’ao, who was still trying to threaten her. The girl’s crimson eyes were still filled with nothing but disdain.

“You can try.”

After saying this coldly, Lady Yumo shattered the barrier with a single punch under Xue Tian’ao’s angry gaze, opened the door, and left the Red Moon Palace without looking back.

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Outside the Red Moon Palace, the Royal Knights including Toma, as well as Olivia and Lilian who had been watching anxiously from a distance, couldn’t help but show looks of bewilderment when they saw Lady Yu suddenly leave. After all, in most people’s eyes, this black-haired girl was certainly not going to leave the Imperial City tonight; they even doubted if she would be able to get out of bed tomorrow.

However, dinner had only just begun. How did the Eldest Miss of the Blackrose Family suddenly come out? Did something happen between the Emperor and her? Everyone looked toward the dining hall in confusion. Because Xue Tian’ao had set up a barrier to prevent anyone from sensing what was happening while he did his business, Toma and the others outside really didn’t know what had transpired inside. They couldn’t hear his shrill screams at all.

The confused knights could only follow international etiquette, bowing to the black-haired girl and watching her depart. Once the girl disappeared from view, Toma had an ominous premonition since his Emperor had delayed giving them subsequent orders. Thus, led by Toma, everyone rushed into the palace.

“Your Majesty, are you all right? …?!!! Huh?!”

The moment they rushed into the dining hall, Toma and the Royal Knights were instantly stunned. They saw the Emperor, who was usually so great and elegant in their hearts, now sprawled on the ground like a pathetic dog. He was desperately clutching his bleeding crotch, his eyes rolled back, and his features were distorted to a nauseating degree.

This… this was His Majesty? All the Royal Knights wore looks of disbelief. If not for the identical aura and attire, they could never have imagined that this wretched existence before them was their Emperor. At this moment, the perfect image Xue Tian’ao had painstakingly built in the minds of the Royal Knights began to collapse.

A moment later, Toma, the first to recover from the shock, immediately rushed forward to support Xue Tian’ao. “Your Majesty! What happened to you!!! Quick… call the imperial physician!!”

For a time, the interior of the palace was thrown into chaos.

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Meanwhile, outside the palace, Lady Yumo chose to ignore the various shrill cries coming from behind her and walked straight to the Blackrose Family’s carriage fleet. Seeing her return, an ‘expected’ look flashed in Saibok’s eyes. Then, the old butler put on an extremely bewildered expression and hurriedly stepped forward, looking at the black-haired girl in ‘confusion’. “Lady Yumo, what’s wrong? Why… why did you come out so soon? You and the Chosen Son…”

Yumo did not give any reply to Saibok’s inquiry but instead looked back thoughtfully toward the rear of the palace. “Saibok.”

“Yes? Do you have any instructions, Lady Yumo?”

“Didn’t you say the guard shift in the dungeon changes tonight and I can see Karina?”

“Yes.”

“Take me there.”

Hearing this, Saibok bowed respectfully. “Understood, Lady Yumo. Please follow me…”