Chapter 290 ·Deathsworn

Deathsworn

"So ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍you're back already?"

This was the voice of another man, not Tuck.

"There is a question with the target."

"What do you mean?"

The people inside began conversing, and a moment later, one of them walked to the window to close it. Just as the window was about to shut, Little Black wedged a piece of tattered cloth into it, preventing it from closing tightly. Even after the window fell shut, the voices inside could still be heard.

"My god's strength was broken by someone."

"That's impossible!"

"It's absolutely true; that woman could not be controlled."

It was Tuck's voice. Hearing "that woman",

Serea was a bit dazed. So they really were coming for her?

"What about the others? Did they succeed?"

"I'm not sure, but from what our previous surveillance showed, there shouldn't be a problem."

"No, notify them at once and tell them not to act rashly."

"Huh? But isn't our mission here to control the person in charge of the Trading Post? One anomaly doesn't affect the others, does it?"

"The situation has changed. We need to wait a bit longer."

As the two continued their discussion, things became even clearer. Their target was not Serea herself—they were actually after the Trading Post itself. But, speaking of the people in charge of the Trading Post...

Avril Qili, Serea, kait Qili, cangyue the Holy Maiden of the fox tribe; the four held shares in decreasing order of power. So these people had only targeted her because she was one of the "persons in charge."

But it seemed they didn't actually know her true identity. Then, how did they know she was one of the "persons in charge?"

As Serea was pondering this, the two inside began a new discussion.

"In any case, we have to leave here quickly. After all, the two of us cannot be seen; let the others handle the rest of the mission."

"Alright."

Their conversation ended, followed by hurried footsteps. Serea looked toward the main gate of the inn: two ordinary-looking male adventurers exited and, after stepping onto the street, made straight for the outskirts of the Trading Post as if planning to escape. This was a perfect opportunity for Little Black and Little White.

The duo followed after them, while Serea led her people back to the Trading Post headquarters. Perhaps Avril might know something.

...

Because it was a Trading Post, the town had not yet closed for the night. Tuck and the other man rode out of the main gate, unflustered.

During the pursuit, the two rode toward Okkento at full speed—apparently heading toward the nearest town. If they reached Okkento, tracking them would become much more trouble, so—

Arm Blade Thrust!

Little Black suddenly attacked, leaping high and bringing his bone tail down.

"Mm!"

The two men hurriedly raised their blades in defense, but the moment the bone tail struck, they felt a jolt in their palms.

Bang! Bang!

They crashed to the ground, followed by another thrust from the bone tail.

"Ah!"

Little Black stabbed them both to the ground with the bone tail—the sudden ambush allowed him to capture them immediately.

"Who are you people?!"

Seeing Little Black and Little White surrounding them, tuck shouted angrily, but Little Black did not answer. He only moved to restrain them and intended to bring them to the Queen. Seeing this, tuck quickly realized these two wanted to take them to see someone.

That woman?

No matter who it was—he could not, under any circumstances, allow himself to be captured; it was all for the faith of the god!

Sensing a surge of magical energy, Little Black and Little White quickly retreated. Then—

Boom!

Flames blossomed, engulfing the two inside.

"!!!"

Through Little Black's eyes, Serea watched the burst of fire and had not expected these men to be deathsworn. With their deaths, the trail was completely broken, but from their earlier conversation, it was certain that others like them remained hiding within the Trading Post.

Thinking this, Serea soon arrived at the Trading Post headquarters and met with Avril.

"Queen Serea, what brings you here so late?"

Avril sat behind her desk, with Aruka standing guard beside her.

"Miss Avril, have you ever heard of the 'Black Sun Preacher'?"

"Black Sun Preacher?"

A look of confusion appeared on Avril's face. Serea then recounted everything she had just experienced. After hearing it, both Avril and Aruka frowned and seemed puzzled.

"I didn't expect that someone would try to attack us in secret..."

"After all, the establishment of the Trading Post has threatened the interests of many."

"But I honestly don't recall anything about any 'Black Sun Preacher,' and I've been away for a while. Uncle Kait has been managing the Trading Post. Maybe he knows something."

"But why would they know I'm one of the persons in charge here?"

Upon hearing this, avril immediately explained,

"Only a few of us know your identity as Queen, and we've always kept it secret—there's absolutely no leak."

"I'm not doubting you all—and besides, they don't know my identity either; they only know I'm one of the 'persons in charge.' Come to think of it, maybe I was just too conspicuous when entering town."

That was the only possible explanation.

"In any case, you should be extra careful."

"I will. I'll order an investigation right away. Sorry, queen; I was the one who invited you to visit, but I've caused you so much concern."

"It's nothing. As long as you're aware, I feel reassured. It's getting late, so I'll head back."

With that, Serea turned to leave, but just before exiting, she remembered something.

"Right, about the 'chapel' I mentioned earlier..."

"Don't worry, queen, I haven't forgotten. I will take you tomorrow."

"Thank you. Goodnight, then."

Leaving the office, Serea stepped outside. As soon as she left, avril's expression turned stern. Soon, the Xiyun Merchant Guild's captain of the guard and the Cangyue clan's chief of security entered.

"Search the entire Trading Post. Keep an eye on anyone suspicious."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

The two retreated to carry out the order. After that, avril slumped into her chair, while Aruka checked the time.

"It's time to rest."

"Huh? But I still have so many documents to handle, just wait—"

"Overworking isn't good for you or the child. Go rest now."

Aruka gently picked her up. Avril, unable to resist, could only comply—and enjoy it.

...

As for Serea, it was about time to proceed with another "plan".

After dismissing everyone, she smiled softly and took out a silver bracelet.

"Pelam, it's time to work!"

"Haaa...alright..."

Pelam appeared, reluctantly transforming into a disguise mask. Serea fixed it onto her face, transforming into the mermaid diva "Candice."

Heading out in disguise to earn Faith Crystals as a diva at the opera house in the middle of the night—this was, after all, one of the main reasons Serea came here. She still needed a little more Faith Crystal to build the chapel.

This was the so-called underground idol operation...

After sneaking out of her residence, Serea made her way to the opera house at the Trading Post. However, she completely failed to notice that someone had already spotted her movements.

(To be continued...)