Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

The moon sets behind the treetops, its gentle light gradually fading.

The inspector, whom Russell called Daryl, ignored the old butler's gratitude. He moved with the speed of a ghost, silently gliding toward Hongyu's fallen body. His movements were precise and efficient, with a chilling skill.

A highly absorbent tarpaulin was quickly wrapped around Hongyu's neck wound, stopping the bleeding. A special solvent was applied to the cracks in the stone bricks to break down the remaining dark red stains. Scattered armor plates, trampled dust, and even barely visible hairs were all picked up and sealed away by Daryl.

In a short while, the ground was clean as before, with only the slight coolness of the night breeze remaining.

Daryl carried Hongyu's body back into the bottomless shadow behind the pillars, his life force extinguished.

The core area of ​​the General Affairs Department was brightly lit and bustling with noise. Clerks hurried about, and passersby chatted in hushed tones, forming a wall of sound that blocked out sight and hearing.

For this reason, the room where Heureya was imprisoned was deliberately placed in a quiet corner away from this noisy place, in a separate courtyard connected by a corridor.

The winding blue brick path, shaded by trees, completely isolates the noise of the main building complex from the outside world.

This is to ensure that sensitive information about the outside world cannot penetrate the physical barrier and reach the ears of the Salt Demon Heuria.

Therefore, the brief, suppressed struggle on the bluestone ground outside the room, and the subsequent gentle cleaning by Daryl, did not stir up a ripple in this deliberately created silence.

No one heard it, no one noticed it.

The Qianyan military barracks, where Da Kun and his squad were stationed, were located on the other edge of the General Affairs Department complex.

Their main tasks were routine patrols and garrison duties. Herria's temporary detention was far from enough to make the entire Thousand Rock military camp move for her. This vast distance was like an insurmountable chasm, completely cutting off any possibility of assistance from the direction of the barracks.

At this moment, in this meticulously arranged, deathly silent cage, the only one who might be able to detect that unusual aura is perhaps Heuria, whose pale silhouette is outlined by the moonlight in the side room.

Heureia did not rest.

Or rather, she briefly fell asleep, only to be awakened by a faint, unsettling smell of rust lingering around her nose.

Now indistinguishable from ordinary mortals, Heureia got up and fumbled to light the candle on the bedside table.

The flickering candlelight dispelled some of the darkness, but it immediately made her aware of another unusual phenomenon.

The familiar snoring of the soldiers on guard duty outside the window disappeared.

When Heureia first heard the snoring, she did feel a slight anger at being slighted or even offended.

Even though Ningguang had lost all her power, as a demon god, she felt that Ningguang's arrangement was too negligent.

Moreover, the heavy snoring often made it difficult for her to fall asleep.

But as time went by, the annoying noise also fostered a strange sense of security. Whenever the regular snoring sounded in the night, Heureia knew that at least someone was guarding the door, and that this cage was not entirely silent.

At this moment, Heureia was fully awakened from her restless, light sleep, but outside the window, there was only a chilling silence.

She glanced instinctively at the water clock on the table; it was just past midnight, and a sense of unease crept into her mind.

Heureia tied the straps of her woven straw sandals, got off the bed, and walked to the window.

Ningguang had offered her other clothes, but Heuria still felt that her original outfit was the most comfortable to wear.

Just as Heureia's fingers touched the edge of the window frame, her movement abruptly stopped.

Not right.

Normally, the moonlight would clearly project the silhouettes of the soldiers on night watch onto the window paper, like silent silhouettes, but at this moment, no outline could be seen on the window.

Heuria cautiously peered out through the white paper window. The moonlight in the courtyard was like water, and the blue stone ground gleamed coldly. The place where the Thousand Rock Army usually stood guard was now empty.

A strange sense of panic and confusion welled up in my heart.

Heuria turned and headed towards the door, trying to call out to the squad leader named Hongyu and ask what had happened.

And just as she took a step...

"Click!"

The lock on the inner door of the side room suddenly shook violently without warning.

A sharp blade tip darted precisely out from the gap in the door latch and deftly flicked it.

With a soft click, the sturdy latch broke.

The door lock was forcibly pried open.

Heureia struggled to suppress her panic, standing still with her eyes fixed on the door that had lost its latch.

She watched as the lock was easily broken and the knife tip disappeared into the gap. The expected forced entry did not occur. Instead, there was a light, steady knock, even with a touch of stiff politeness.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

This self-deceptive act made Heureia realize that she had no other choice, so she took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice steady:

"Please come in."

Squeak.

The door was slowly and steadily pushed open, and the figure who walked in was Russell, the butler of Pantalone, the executive of the Northern Bank.

Strangely, the old butler was holding a small, exquisite, dark wooden box in his hands. The lid was tightly closed, and it was impossible to tell what was inside.

"Please excuse the late hour."

"Your Majesty Heureia, the 'Lord of Salt and Earth'."

Russell’s tone was gentle, yet carried an unusual classical quality.

He walked effortlessly to the dressing table by the window, gently placed the wooden box down, and then turned to Heureia, bowing deeply in a set of ancient and elaborate rituals.

That posture almost perfectly replicated the highest etiquette for mortals to pay homage to demon gods in the ancient Guiliji era.

Russell's movements were impeccable, and even his tone of voice had subtly changed, his pronunciation more closely resembling that long-gone era of demon wars, carrying a deliberately crafted, hazy sense of nostalgia and alienation.

"who are you?"

Heureia's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible relaxation as she scrutinized the refined old man before her.

If the other party wanted to harm her, they wouldn't need to deliberately learn the etiquette of the Guili Assembly, nor would they perform this set of audience actions that made Heuria somewhat dazed.

Upon hearing Heureia's question, Russell bowed slightly and answered clearly and respectfully:
"I am Russell Kirilenko, steward of Lord Pantalone, the executor of the Fools, and I humbly serve Your Majesty, bringing you greetings of extreme cold and frost."

"housekeeper…"

Heureia whispered, she naturally understood the word's inherent meaning of servant, but the titles Fools and Executors were like strange babbling from a foreign land to her.

She does not belong to this noisy era. Since that unexpected resurrection, she has been strictly isolated in this small space. The outside information she can access is fragmented and scarce, insufficient to piece together the power landscape of this new world.

Russell seemed to have precisely captured the fleeting look of bewilderment in Heuria's eyes.

His polite smile deepened slightly, like a patient teacher facing a bewildered student.

"Please allow me to explain further for Your Majesty."

Russell's voice remained gentle, yet carried an undeniable guiding quality as he began to slowly outline the power structure of the Winter Kingdom.

The Fools are the sharpest spear and the strongest shield under Her Majesty the Queen of Winterfell, their influence extending throughout the seven kingdoms of Teyvat.

The executors are the direct agents of the Queen's will, possessing authority and power that are difficult for ordinary people to attain; their titles themselves are symbols of power.

Lord Pantalone is the ninth-ranked executive officer, in charge of the Northern Bank, whose wealth and strategic acumen are unfathomable.

As for the purpose of the Fools...

Russell paused subtly here, his gaze turning deep as he looked at Heureia.

"Naturally, it is to fulfill the Ice Queen's grand ambition and bring... a new order to this world."

The old butler's explanation was thoughtful, clear, and concise, like unfolding a meticulously painted scroll.

However, the Teyvat continent depicted in this painting is completely different from what Heuria knew during her lifetime.

The seven kingdoms of Teyvat and the seven gods appear peaceful on the surface, but they all seem to have their own agendas behind the scenes. (End of Chapter)