Chapter 153 : Accomplice

Hera’s ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍gaze swept across the sea of white flowers below.

“The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍weak need graves to prove they once existed.”

  ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍

“As ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for the strong.”

“They ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only need to leave scars upon the land.”

Lilia’s ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍entire body trembled.

She turned her head to look at Hera.

Within those golden eyes was reflected the vast vitrified crater below—and also her own pale yet deeply shaken face.

Why was she suddenly talking about this…

Could it be… Hera was telling her—

From the moment that Forbidden Spell descended last night,

that little maid who only knew how to hide behind others, beg for mercy, and barely survive by relying on system rewards… was already dead.

And now—

She was an accomplice who could stand beside the Demon Queen and overlook this Abyss together?

The high-altitude wind roared, stinging her cheeks, yet it couldn’t disperse the buzzing shock in Lilia’s mind.

Lilia lowered her head to look at the massive basin below—busy with construction, yet filled with a strangely solemn mourning atmosphere—and her throat felt dry.

Before, she had always thought of herself as just a worker. As long as she could survive under her boss, scrape by, and not end up being turned into a specimen, that was already a victory. But now, when she personally witnessed the destructive consequences of a casual wave of her hand, when she heard Hera say those words—“leave scars upon the land”—something changed.

It was the most direct understanding of power.

And the most naked interpretation of the word “authority.”

“Have you thought it through?”

Hera’s voice sounded again. This time, there was less teasing and more of a commanding tone, as if waiting to inspect homework. “Now, what ideas do you have?”

Lilia took a deep breath, suppressing the trembling brought by surging adrenaline.

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she narrowed her crimson eyes and reassessed the vitrified ruins beneath her.

Her earlier suggestion of a “big and grand” Arena had indeed been typical shallow thinking—vulgar and soulless. Since Hera had defined this place as a “memorial,” then it couldn’t just be an ordinary venue for slaughter and entertainment.

It should be a monument.

A monument displaying the absolute power of the Queen of Eternal Night—and her “accomplice.”

“Master.”

Lilia spoke. Though her voice still wavered slightly in the wind, her tone was more resolute than ever.

“I think we don’t need to go through the trouble of building any grand stands.”

Hera raised an eyebrow but said nothing, signaling her to continue.

Lilia pointed at the smooth, mirror-like vitrified crater below, reflecting blinding sunlight, and her speech gradually quickened:

“This crater itself is the best structure. Any artificially stacked stones would look redundant and cheap in front of this divine-like trace of destruction.”

“We don’t need to fill it, nor do we need to cover up this scar.”

Her gaze landed on the spreading sea of white flowers and the unfinished monument. Suddenly, a bold—almost twisted—idea emerged in her mind.

“We keep the crater exactly as it is.”

“Let the gladiators fight at the bottom of this smooth, glass-like pit. Blood splattering across that mirror surface—the visual impact would be absolutely top-tier.”

At this point, Lilia paused, and a faint, almost imperceptible sinister smile curved at the corner of her lips.

“As for the audience seats… place them along the edge of the pit.”

“We keep the White Roses planted by Camilla. In fact, we plant even more, until the entire rim of the basin is surrounded by a sea of flowers.”

“Imagine it—those noble lords sitting in a pure, fragrant white garden, holding wine in their hands, looking down at the most primal and bloody slaughter in the abyss below.”

“Above is a garden like heaven. Below is a battlefield like hell.”

Lilia turned to look at Hera, a gleam of something called “fervor” shining in her eyes.

“This extreme contrast—this perverse blending of life and death, beauty and ugliness… I think this is the kind of ‘memorial’ worthy of Master’s taste.”

The wind continued to howl.

Hera quietly looked at the little maid speaking eloquently before her.

After a few seconds of silence—

The arrogant Demon Queen suddenly laughed.

Not her usual cold, mocking chuckle, but a genuine, low laugh spilling from deep within her throat.

“Above is a garden, below is hell…”

Hera savored the phrase, her golden eyes narrowing slightly like a cat being scratched at just the right spot. “Very interesting.”

She extended her hand. Her fingertips slid down along Lilia’s cheek, finally resting at her fragile throat, gently stroking it.

“Looks like that little head of yours isn’t entirely filled with useless things.”

Hera withdrew her hand and looked again at the busy construction site below, her tone turning lazy and casual.

“Approved.”

“Do it your way.”

“This Arena doesn’t need a vulgar name. Call it—‘Funeral of White Roses.’”

Lilia’s heart skipped a beat.

Good grief, that name sounded ominous. But considering the person below had originally intended to hold her funeral, it was, in a way, quite fitting.

“Since the plan is settled…”

Lilia rubbed her slightly stiff fingers and cautiously pointed at the figure still directing the filling work below.

“Master, I’d like to go down and ‘communicate’ with Succubus Grand Duke Camilla.”

Although Hera had approved the design, the current construction direction was completely off track.

If she didn’t hurry to stop them, Camilla’s team would fill in the entire crater!

That was a top-tier foundation blasted out by a Forbidden Spell! What a waste if it got filled!

Of course, more importantly—

If she didn’t stop it now, the inscription on that monument would probably be finalized.

If people later found out that the Chief Financial Officer of the Palace of Eternal Night had a tomb before even dying, where would she put her dignity?

Hera glanced sideways at her, seemingly seeing through her little thoughts.

“Go.”

Her Majesty generously waved her hand. “Don’t go overboard. Remember to come back tonight to cook.”

“Got it!”

Lilia felt as if she had been granted amnesty.

……

Ground level.

At the edge of the Dark Moon Basin.

The atmosphere here was so heavy it felt as if the air itself had been filled with lead.

“Hey! You there! That Minotaur! Didn’t you eat? Fill that pit properly! Don’t leave it uneven—this will be a holy site in the future! A holy site, got it?!”

Camilla gripped her whip.

“And you over there, gardeners!”

She turned and pointed at the little Succubi planting roses nearby. “Be gentle! They’re very delicate! If even one gets damaged, I’ll plant you in the ground as fertilizer!”