Chapter 583 - 30: Imperial Citizen

Chapter 583: Chapter 30: Imperial Citizen

A young girl’s voice echoed through the space. "Master, what is it?"

"Register an Imperial identity for Murphy."

Xiaoqi’s voice replied:

"Yes, Master."

"Collecting basic information. Please confirm the following details, Master."

"Name: Murphy."

"Surname: None."

"Age: Unknown."

"Origin: Unknown."

"Bloodline: No known bloodline lineage detected."

"Elemental Affinity: Undetected."

"Current Strength Assessment: Between Level 2 and Level 3. Specifics pending further assessment."

"Is further assessment required?"

Cheris said, "No need. For the rest of the information, fill it in as: male, sixteen years old, origin Zlesko City’s Seventh District, low-level Nightmare bloodline..."

Xiaoqi replied, "Understood, Master. The information has been recorded. The identity chip will be created within three days and delivered to your office then."

Watching this unfold, Murphy suddenly spoke up:

"Wait..."

Cheris tilted her head, her emerald eyes gazing at him.

"Why ’wait’?"

"Are you dissatisfied with this identity? Do you want me to fill in a more prestigious origin? A nobler bloodline?"

Murphy ignored the teasing in her voice and simply asked, "Why are you registering an identity for me?"

Cheris replied as if it were obvious:

"You’re my toy, you know."

"A toy has to have an identity, of course."

"Otherwise, how could you go out and play with me?"

"Besides, you helped me get Dumasong’s dream core."

"As a generous owner, it’s only natural that I give my beloved toy a little reward."

"If I didn’t, people would say I, Cheris, am a stingy owner, and that’s not respectable at all."

Murphy shook his head. "That’s not it."

Cheris raised an eyebrow. "Not it?"

Murphy continued, "You sent me into the Nightmare World to retrieve the dream core. You did it by using my status as someone not from this world to attract Dumasong’s lingering consciousness."

"It was the same for Elvin’s exploration team. They came from the Caesar Dia World and carried that world’s unique mark, which is why after entering the Nightmare World, they were drawn by the residual will of that Divine Spirit to Dumasong’s dream territory."

"So my purpose was to be bait."

"But if I register for this so-called Imperial identity, become an Imperial citizen, and get recorded by the Imperial Magic Net, my aura will change."

"At that point, when I enter the Nightmare World again, will the lingering consciousness of those fallen Divine Spirits still view me as an unfamiliar outsider, just like this time?"

There was one more thing Murphy didn’t say. He had observed that the instant Cheris stepped into the Nightmare World, the dream core had clearly shown an urge to flee.

But it was too late to escape.

It could only be caught in Cheris’s hand.

Cheris blinked.

"Worthy of being my toy. You’re so smart."

"You saw through my intentions in a single glance."

"But, since you’re my toy, of course I have to treasure you."

"That’s why I can’t let you walk into that kind of danger a second time."

"Of course, I must emphasize that the first time was never about using you as bait."

"There’s a right way to play with toys."

"And I will guarantee my toy’s safety."

But Murphy said, "That’s not all."

Cheris arched a pretty eyebrow again. "Oh?"

Murphy continued:

"You haven’t told me the whole truth, only selectively revealing the parts you want me to know."

Upon hearing this, Cheris sighed. "Oh, dear. It seems I can’t hide anything from my darling toy after all."

"Since you’re so concerned about your owner and so eager to learn the truth, then I’ll graciously tell you."

"So, tell me, do you think what I just did was legal or illegal?"

Murphy guessed,

"Illegal?"

Cheris chuckled.

"Wrong. It was legal."

Murphy’s eyes flickered slightly.

Cheris continued:

"You entered the Nightmare World of your own free will and attracted the lingering consciousness of a Divine Spirit. That’s legal."

"I entered the Nightmare World, arrested you, and captured the lingering consciousness of the Divine Spirit in the process. That is also legal."

"So, do you get it now?"

Of course Murphy understood. ’Isn’t this just simple entrapment?’

Cheris went on:

"According to Imperial Law, Article 734, Section 3, Subsection 7: An Otherworld creature that enters an Imperial-jurisdiction area of the Nightmare World via illegal means without authorization, and is subsequently arrested on-site by an Imperial law enforcement officer, must complete identity registration or be repatriated to their world of origin within three days. Should this matter not be resolved by the deadline, and said creature illegally enters an Imperial-jurisdiction area of the Nightmare World a second time..."

"...to prevent a continuous threat to the security of Imperial assets, the law enforcement officer may take all necessary measures, including, but not limited to, on-the-spot termination."

"If the law enforcement officer fails to take action and instead lets the matter slide, they will be subject to an exorbitant fine."

"So, do you understand now?"

"If I don’t register an identity for you and just let you leave, the next time you enter the Nightmare World—whether actively or passively, whether I throw you in or you sneak in yourself—as long as you’re detected by the Imperial Magic Net, I’ll be forced to come and arrest you."

"Once I catch you, the law says I must either register your identity or repatriate you to your original world."

"But I don’t know where your original world is, and neither do you."

"So, that only leaves one option: registration."

"But if you haven’t registered by the time you illegally enter for a second time, then I can legally kill you in the process of arresting you."

Murphy said, "So, by registering me now, you’re protecting me for the second time I enter the Nightmare World."

Cheris nodded.

"Of course I’m protecting you."

"You’re my toy, after all."

"The owner gets sad when their toy breaks."

"Besides, once you’re registered, you’ll no longer be an Otherworld creature."

"You’ll be an Imperial citizen. Sixteen years old, from the Seventh District of Zlesko City, with a low-level Nightmare bloodline."

"With that identity, you entering the Nightmare World is called ’legal exploration’."

"Any danger you encounter during that exploration is called an ’accident’."

"And during an ’accident,’ if a law enforcement officer like me steps in to help, that’s called ’fulfilling my duty’."

"See? It’s perfect."

"So, are you going to register, or not?"

After hearing all this, what choice did Murphy have?

"I’ll register."

At his words, Cheris’s emerald eyes lit up, and a smile so brilliant it was almost dazzling bloomed on her face.

"Excellent!"

"You’re mine now."

"And you can’t run away, you know."

Murphy just watched her quietly, not saying a word this time.

Cheris said with a smile,

"What’s wrong? Unhappy?"

"I’m giving you an identity, making you an Imperial citizen, and allowing you to legally explore the Nightmare World."

"How can you not be happy about something so wonderful?"

"Besides, once you have this identity, you’ll be an Imperial citizen."

"Do you know what Imperial citizens can do?"

"They can reside legally, travel legally, and legally enter most public areas."

"They can apply for access to the Magic Net, learn Magic, and acquire resources."

"They can participate in various Imperial projects and earn compensation."

"They can own property, sign contracts, they can..."

At this point, she could no longer suppress the smile spreading across her face.

"Most importantly, you can be my toy and follow me out to play, openly and legitimately."

"After all, with this identity, you won’t be able to run away."

"The Imperial Magic Net will record your every move."

"Where you go, what you do, when you come back..."

"I’ll know all of it."

"So, you’re mine now."

"There’s no escape for you at all."

Murphy: "..."

Cheris ignored Murphy’s mood and clapped her hands with a sharp "CLAP!"

"Alright, so the registration is settled."

"The identity chip will be delivered in three days, and then you’ll officially be an Imperial citizen."

"When that happens, I’ll take you somewhere fun."

"Don’t worry, it’s not the Nightmare World."

"It’s a place in the city. A really fun one."