Distinguished Guest

Bright red nectar was poured into a transparent glass, leaving a fading crimson trail against the walls. Such vibrant red wine was only produced in Limbo of the Royal Court. It possessed a faint, bloody sweetness that polarized opinions; those who loved it were ecstatic, willing to spend a fortune for a moment's pleasure, while those who hated it kept their distance.

Such was the case with Li Yue and Clo. Li Yue swirled her glass, inhaling the metallic, sweet aroma. Beside her, Clo used a magic barrier to block the scent. Clo’s glass contained fresh, purple-red grape juice; Li Yue found it too sweet, but Clo thought it was just right.

“You said the person you want to meet is here?” Clo gripped her glass with both hands as she scanned their surroundings. Servants were serving delicacies to well-dressed patrons. The two of them had also changed into attire that matched the local atmosphere. Security in the city had increased sharply, especially regarding those dressed in exotic styles.

Li Yue had cast a minor spell to make her appearance resemble how she looked when she first woke up—black hair and red eyes. Clo had met her back then, but as Clo put it, the current Li Yue looked like a completely different person from that version of herself. It seemed the change in her aura was simply too immense.

“Now that I am here, my connection with them has been restored... We could communicate freely at sea, but now it is restricted to this range. It seems my followers are in a mediocre situation.” Li Yue looked at the medium-rare beef served on the table, cut a piece, and popped it into her mouth.

“Are they... your followers? Like Cardinals or something?” Clo had little appetite. She took small sips of her grape juice, ignoring the exquisite roasted pigeon sitting before her, its skin glistening with oil, waiting to be carved.

“No... There aren't many devout ones left among my believers, and I never expected much from them anyway.” Li Yue wiped her mouth. “I intend to reach the core power class of this kingdom, then use our strength to simplify the process through brute force.”

“To sweep away the remnants of those ‘Specter’ followers?” Clo didn't quite understand Li Yue’s words. She tried to recall everything that happened in that final moment within the murals, but her memory was blurred, as if something didn't want her to remember those scenes. Everything had turned into a pure, bloody red.

She only remembered that those fragments were real—more real than anything described in books, and far more bloody, grotesque, and cruel...

Perhaps not being able to remember was a blessing.

She watched Li Yue, trying to find some other emotion on that perpetual poker face. However, aside from when Li Yue was teasing her, she could never read anything. She thought about optimizing some mind-reading magic, but considering Li Yue’s level, she quickly abandoned the idea.

“If those ‘Specter’ followers are driven out, what about the remnants of other gods' faiths?” Clo frowned, finding a flaw in Li Yue’s plan. “Are you only going to maintain peace within the Royal Court? What about everywhere else?”

“I’ll destroy them all, of course~” Li Yue looked up, her blood-red eyes startling Clo. Clo’s fork slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a sharp clang. A waiter rushed over to replace her cutlery immediately. Clo paid the waiter no mind; she stared at Li Yue’s inscrutable smile, her expression shifting from shock to confusion.

“Thank you,” Li Yue said to the waiter with a smile. The waiter gave a slight bow and walked away. “It was a joke. I have my own ways to handle what comes after.”

“The Royal Court is unavoidable as well. All faiths in the old gods will be uprooted in the future. Not even their names will remain. Everything of theirs... perhaps nothing will be left.” Li Yue’s finger traced two lines on the tablecloth.

Clo thought about what Metis and Astarte had told her. They didn't fear absolute death; they only felt regret that none of their efforts would survive for future generations. She felt a twinge of pity, yet she didn't want to interfere with Li Yue’s thoughts.

“Whether it's memory-erasing magic or other methods, as long as time and effort are invested, they can be rooted out sooner or later.” Li Yue waved her fork and gave a relaxed smile. “Look at me; didn't I spend several thousand years lost in so-called confusion? It wasn't until now that I could sit here leisurely with you, talking about the future.”

Li Yue smiled and clinked her glass against Clo’s. Seeing Clo’s pouting, dissatisfied expression, she chuckled and poked the girl's cheek, dissolving all the tension that had just built up.

“You don't need to worry. In the end, this world... will only have one faith...” Li Yue’s eyes narrowed slightly. “We have time... I mean, plenty of time.”

Li Yue smiled.

How much time is actually left?

Li Yue asked herself this as she looked at the massive brown clock in the restaurant. The golden hands clearly indicated the time: 18:42, a decent hour for dinner.

Hardly any.

That was the answer Li Yue gave herself. She looked at Clo, the person with the most time in the world. At some vital moment in the future, Clo would become the God of Time, the first new god born in this era.

What they needed now was to wait. Li Yue was waiting for a woman she had dealt with many times before. She needed an identity—one that would allow her to access the core of this nation's power. She didn't want to destroy this complex power structure; as the nation with the strongest military force on the surface, the Royal Court was still useful to her.

The waiters at the entrance bowed in unison, welcoming a noble of significant status. The restaurant manager emerged from a hidden side door to greet the distinguished guest. Li Yue knew the person she was waiting for had arrived.

She took a small sip of the metallic, sweet wine, not turning back to look at the guest. She only had to look at the expression in Clo’s eyes to confirm it was the right person.

“You really look like a different person, even though it’s only been about half a year.” A tall woman appeared beside the table. Li Yue gestured to a seat, indicating she should sit.

“It seems everything he said was true... Truly, I can't believe it...”