Shadow of the Evil God

Corini: Sean's trusted witch, Firth's fake mother, is actually a Holmunk, or an artificial creature, created by a little man in a bottle of unknown origin. The difference between her and the furnace residue is that she, the Holmunk, can use spells.

White Eyes: Korini's sword-wielding guard, who thinks he is a loyal servant who grew up with Korini, but is actually just an unlucky hunter on the edge of the forest. Because he happened to run into Korini, she tampered with his personality memory, and the swordsmanship he mastered came from the Kuna warriors.

Aya: An unknown mute girl, whose father is a porter and amateur slave trader in the lower city. When the city was broken, she wanted to seek revenge and commit suicide, but before she died, Cesar forced her to be cursed and brought her back to life. Then she turned around and forgot about it. She is currently traveling with Ajeh in a daze.

Granli: A Temple Knight who led the investigation of the local Hiel Temple in Neuen.

Kallen: A young monk who grew up in the city of Neuen. She has now followed the Black Sword to the empire's territory. Cesar is still upset about her because he only got a kiss before they parted.

Libio: A hapless slave trader and retired mercenary from Black Sword. He took over Gouzi and Cesar from the porter and then ate them.

Kingdom of Olidan:

Efred IV: King of Olidan.

Urbino: Duke of Olydan, a famous military leader, a classmate and close friend of Evered IV, he made great military achievements in the north, and gave birth to Diana after marrying into the Yestren School. He had fiefs, but always lived in the royal capital of Anglan.

Verard: Count of Olydan, renowned military leader, classmate and close friend of King Evered IV, leader of the Kingdom's Knights, but after taking over Urbino's duties, his achievements were mediocre and he could only call himself a defender of the frontiers.

Gilder: The simplest of Villars' children. He admires Diana and was released by Villars to test Cesar's character.

Vermeer: ​​The governor of the Gonzales region, actually one of the leaders of the noble rebellion.

Levita: A middle-aged monk from the town of Sodoris in Oridan. He accepted refugees and checked for plague all year round. After accepting Cesar's invitation, he moved to live in the Governor's Mansion in Sodoris and converted the entire Governor's Mansion into a hospital.

Ceshia: She was originally a descendant of the nobles of Olidan. Later, her entire family lost power due to struggles and died out. She was the only one left and fled north to join the Black Sword. She is Cesar's

Cesar, the swordsmanship teacher, was upset about not even getting a kiss from her.

Varedo: A knight under Urbino, who declared his obedience because he followed Cesar into battle.

Rolaisa: A banker with great vision and intelligence, she and Cesar hit it off immediately after Cesar proposed minting inferior coins to create inflation in the lands under Clefas' rule.

Corella: A member of the Sodoris City Governor's family, and the only remaining one. A middle-aged noble who values ​​his own status and honor more than his family blood. He hopes to make a fortune in smuggling under the name of the princess and become the new head of the family.

The Qassal Empire:

Ferriers: The grandmaster of the Orvera School, the magic master who formed an alliance with the Casar Empire when it first crossed the ocean. He is the original body of Ferriers and has lived in the northernmost territory of the empire. He has an unclear attitude towards Cesar and the various beastman tribes.

Heanlia (a newly made-up name): Chancellor of the Empire, de facto ruler of the southeastern territories. He holds a prince in his power, forcing him to proclaim himself emperor and forcing his eldest daughter to marry him, resulting in the birth of many princes. The Chancellor prioritizes economics over military affairs and was the first to ally with the southern kingdoms.

Cleface: An imperial general, the actual ruler of the southwestern territories of the empire, a templar monk, who holds a princess in his hands. He forces her to proclaim herself empress and forces his eldest son to marry her, giving birth to two princes and a princess.

Altinya: The granddaughter of Heanria, the princess of the southwestern territory of the empire. The prophecy of Ferriers mentioned that she might be the Queen of Fire, who would burn many things that people could not imagine. Now she is taking Cesar as her teacher and thinking about what she will burn.

Trisius: Grandson of Clephas, prince of the southeastern empire, and Clephas' chosen successor to the throne.

Laelius: A close confidant of Trisius and a monastic apprentice of Clephas.

Iris (Origin Society):

Diana: The daughter of the marriage between Urbino and the Yestren School, the most qualified heir of the Yestren School in many centuries, has been pursuing and exploring the manuscripts and deeds of Ferriers since she was a child.

Sutik: A mage of the Hisai school and Diana's former teacher. However, the friendship between mages usually cannot withstand the hatred between schools, and he died at the hands of the Faceless One.

One-Eye: A mage of the Xise School, with mediocre qualifications, just barely qualified to join the school. He happened to encounter a research accident, so the Xise School found him, the one with the most mediocre qualifications, to take the blame and kicked him out. He is currently making a living at Black Sword.

Carrion: A wizard from the Hisai School, he accepted employment from the nobles of Olidan due to difficulties in funding his research. After being defeated, he wanted to escape using a teleportation spell, but unfortunately fell into the trap of a beastman shaman and became a monster with a human head and a dog body.

Endless Grasslands:

Musali: A steppe chief who traveled to the Northern Empire and the Southern Kingdoms in his youth. He met with Ferriers, visited the Great Library before it burned down, and signed a contract with the Domini royal family with the intention of changing the living conditions of the Sasule people.

Black-haired Ajeh: The only newborn born in many centuries by the ancestors of the Kuna people, a descendant of the royal family and recognized by the Kuna people's residual memories as the last princess. Her gender is unclear, and she believes in beauty regardless of gender. She is a spontaneous person, indifferent to everything. She has an uncanny affinity with Cesar's soul, and when her personality and memories intersect, they seem to be one and the same person.

Gray-haired Ajehe: The curse that accompanied the black-haired Ajehe was actually the ancestor of the beastman who fell into the place where time stagnated and never hatched. He had a very bad relationship with Ferrells and everyone he met later. His attitude towards Cesar was the only thing that was difficult to understand.

Iskellig: The most representative living individual of the ancestors of the Guna people, the last prince, his memory is fading, but his body is eternally young, his gender is difficult to distinguish, and he does not distinguish between men and women in the category of beauty. He first had a relationship with Musali's mother and then with Musali himself, and both of them were full of love for him.

Evil creature:

Gouzi: The Faceless One, the Faceless Spy, one of the many factors that destroyed the Kuna people during the Kuna era.

Legosius: A White Nightmare, yet a newborn White Nightmare that knows more than just terror and torture. Having endured the Kuna's long-standing worship, he witnessed their rise and fall, experiencing their full range of emotions and developing his own understanding of the human world and religion. Now, with a playful attitude, Legosius aspires to become a wandering knight. He dons a mask to conceal the dark void on his face and demands that Cesar provide him with a horse and armor.

Nauzog: A beastman warrior whose existence was engraved into the Age of the Gods. Those aware of its existence can summon it into the present at a significant cost. Upon its death, it returns to the Age of the Gods, awaiting its next summons. Nauzog also possesses its own understanding of the human world, enjoying the guise of a human as they travel, though this usually only causes harm.

The Dominican Kingdom has not been written much yet, so I won’t mention it.

Chapter 259: Don’t mess with her body

Diana remained silent, so Cesar gently grasped her waist. This wasn't difficult, given her much slimmer figure than his, and with her fingers spread wide, she could easily hold it in one hand. He lowered his head to bite the piece of fish, feeling the tenderness of the girl's saliva and the faint marks of her teeth. It was smooth and fragrant in his mouth. Her cheeks flushed slightly. He took out the wine flask they had brought with them, gave it a gentle shake, and when he uncorked it, the aroma filled his nostrils, like a flower blooming.

The alcohol content was low, but it smelled incredibly fragrant. When he offered it to her, she wanted to refuse, but she took a few sips, leaving a few drops on her lips, looking like dewdrops on rose petals.

"Maybe someone is watching us not far away." Cesar whispered in Diana's ear. "Even though we can only see a blurry silhouette, it's enough to make us imagine."

"When I use you as an experiment next time, you'll know the consequences of your current actions."

Despite her harsh words, their lips still touched. He had been fascinated by her lips lately, constantly wanting to put more of them, wanting to taste different flavors. Her lips were soft and moist, as if a light bite would leave a tooth mark. Her upper lip was slightly raised, smooth and delicate, with the sweet scent of wine, and it seemed as if it would melt between her lips.

Diana's breath touched his lower lip, bringing a hint of warmth. Cesar kissed her deeper and deeper, savoring every part of her lips, sucking them gently in his mouth, teasing them with the tip of his tongue, feeling every texture, and nibbling them with the tip of his teeth. Only when her lips turned bright red did he withdraw.

Cesar reached for his drink again, but noticed that Phils' cheeks were flushed, having already quietly downed most of it. She licked the wine from her lips as she leaned forward. He realized she was treating it like a twig she'd picked up from the roadside. She clearly had no desire to experience it, but she was determined to observe his reaction to being forced.

Phils's face was smooth and crystal clear, a little gloomy, but very pitiful. He felt her fingers picking at it, her lips gently touching it, and her delicate kisses all over it, the smooth tip of her tongue constantly teasing the very tip, making it throb.

Diana's brow twitched as she watched the girl twist her body, trying to drag the little snake outward like a restless snake, almost to a place where her body could no longer cover it. She reached out and held it, pressing it back in front of him and covering it with her hand. Only then did she let out a soft sigh. By then, her forehead seemed to be sweating.

Cesar lowered his head and kissed Diana again, feeling her slender fingers pressing it lightly, first grasping, then switching to unconscious kneading. Her delicate palm cupped the bag and stroked it gently in her palm, each finger kneading made it react more vigorously.

Firth swallowed a little, wrapping her warm lips around the snake's head. Her small mouth was stuffed full, unskilled, and she swallowed with reluctance. This, combined with Diana's equally awkward kneading, was incredibly addictive. Her delicate lips wrapped tightly around the snake, enveloping each scale, airtight. Only her sultry breath and her soft tongue caressed the scales, making it increasingly unbearable.

Saliva gradually secreted, soaking every snake scale and oozing out from her lips. Saliva flowed from her delicate jaw to the snake body and then to Diana's hand, forming long, crystal-clear threads.

Diana pursed her lips, gazing at the bonfire and the river before them. She tried not to notice the absurdity unfolding on her left hand, but when Cesar kissed her ear and exhaled, her ears reddening, she tilted her head slightly and gently kissed him. As they kissed, she looked down and saw the snake injecting venom into Phils's open mouth, its head bouncing against her soft tongue, spraying a large amount of venom each time.

Soon, Fils's bright red mouth had turned completely white, and it was almost impossible to see her tongue, like it was submerged in murky water, its outline visible only after a slight stir. The excess liquid had already flowed onto Diana's palm, staining her fingers and palm. Her knuckles twitched slightly, and for a moment she didn't know where to put her hand.

"I really don't understand..." Diana said in a low voice, "Is it really okay to just swallow something like this?"

Cesar scratched Fils's smooth chin, gently stroking her pursed lips with his fingers, watching her throat flutter as she finally swallowed all the liquid in her mouth. In the warmth of the campfire, he could feel her skin warm, a hazy longing, but she didn't even bother to move. Fils curled up, resting her head on his lap, her eyes narrowed before a yawn. Her crossed eyelashes gleamed faintly in the firelight, and her vision was hazy.

"What's so hard to understand?" he asked Diana. "Haven't you tried it?"

Diana snorted softly. She picked up the test tube she always carried, uncorked it, and scraped a little bit of the liquid from her hand into it. "That was forced," she said, sitting upright. "That's not the normal way. This is it. Once I analyze what's wrong with it, you'll be in for a fight, Cesar."

"You speak of this as a deadly poison, Diana."

"Who knows?" She raised her chin, tilted her cheek slightly, and glanced at him. "With your path, it could be anything. I've never seen anyone in the school records who can still maintain their humanity at this stage. If I accidentally find anything, don't blame me for bringing a glass container and ordering you to put it in."

It’s full.”

"You're such a fantasy guy," Cesar said.

Diana leaned towards him, reached out and pushed it back hard, then tightened his belt around his waist, squeezing his abdomen so tightly that his breathing stopped for a moment. "When I find a spell specifically for you, you'll know if this is just a fantasy," she said in a low voice.

......

When Cesar woke up from his journey in the wilderness, the white moon was almost obscured by the rolling hills. The silvery moonlight gradually dimmed, and every ripple on the river was gradually stained with a dark black.

He wrapped himself in his clothes, made sure Firth was still by his side, and then stepped out of the carriage. He stirred the dying fire, extinguishing it completely. Diana and Altinia were sleeping in their respective tents. Unable to stretch out in the camp facing the moon, Gouzi was even more dissatisfied than usual. When he returned to the carriage, he found her sitting on the far left, staring at him intently. The invisible blade, naturally, hung on the far right, the disdain clearly evident in her expression.

Cesar reached out to touch the invisible blade, feeling a numb, tingling sensation in her fingers. Despite the discomfort, she strapped it to her waist and resumed her gaze with the dog. She wasn't sure if this example was effective, but at least she wasn't staring so wide-eyed. As usual, the creature closed its eyes, opened its mouth, its sharp teeth razor-sharp, and narrowed its gaze beneath long, soft golden lashes, staring intently at him. Seeing this, Cesar felt the tingling in her fingers grow even more intense.

He decided to try to bite someone else today, so he reached out and scooped the dog up in his arms, feeling the chill of her fangs graze his neck. As the sharp teeth pierced his veins, he felt a slight intoxication, unknowingly entering a state of fantasy that couldn't be called a dream, nor a state of lucidity. No matter how long he wandered the wilderness, no matter how long he hadn't dreamed, certain memories would never close their doors to him.

César wanted to recall the little girl he had met in a northern town, when he was still studying local customs, and discussed her village teacher with her, but before he could delve into it, other fragments came unbidden. On the prairie, she had scooped water from the lake in her hands, and just as she raised it to her lips, she found that her hands had become a breast flowing with warm milk.

It was her mother, with a pale, weak smile on her face. She tried many times to reach out to her, to hold her tightly in her arms, to open her eyes and see her face clearly, but she couldn't, because she was a cursed baby who could hardly open her eyes. Sharp teeth and the sweet smell of blood at the edge of her vision always drove away the smell of her mother.

Soon, they would both be taken away, she would be judged by the tribe, and her mother would undoubtedly die. She wanted to remember this moment, to return to this lost memory, but it all faded away, like a mist in a dream.

She returned to her memories. He was César, standing in a misty lake, seeing fragmented illusions spread across the world, as if a million mirrors shone like dust in the morning light, reflecting each other in a cascade of illusions. Beside him stood a young woman with ponytails.

She seemed wary, her fists clenched as she looked around. Cesar felt she looked familiar, so he stared at her closely. As he studied her intently, her gaze fell on him, and her wariness suddenly reached its peak. Her clenched fists gleamed, her pupils shrunken to almost pinpoints. She looked like she wanted to punch him facefirst into the dirt, but she was forcing herself to remain silent, though it seemed she couldn't.

"Greetings, who are still not lost in the Crimson Realm."

Cesar turned his head, but couldn't tell who was speaking to him. The voice was familiar, strangely deep. He thought he had heard it somewhere before, but his mind was hazy and it was difficult to find a clear memory. The moon had completely disappeared, and a different kind of campfire was smoldering by the lake.

"Should I call you Cesar?"

This wasn't a dream, and he couldn't dream. He rubbed his throat, wanting to say something, but his fingers felt more delicate than he'd imagined. He lowered them, only to find a soft breast through the fabric. A sharp whistle pierced his ears, nearly ringing. Then he realized it was the mute woman's whistle. She stared at him even more urgently, seemingly trying to stop him from touching her body. Even when he withdrew his hand, awkwardly placing it behind his back, she didn't look away.

Chapter 260 She Has Been Watching

Cesar could hear nothing but the mute woman's shrill whistle and the priest's distant voice. A silence reigned, more tranquil than the deepest night in the barracks. He spread his hands, demonstrating his worthlessness, and sat down under her wary gaze. Not long after, the mute woman, with her arms folded, also sat down, facing him, a gesture of intense defiance.

Did he recognize her? He seemed to recognize her. She was of medium height, not tall, but her eyes were wide and her cheekbones were slightly visible. She looked very thin before, but only recently, after eating more, she looked more like a person. Ling Feng whipped her chestnut hair, brushing it across her eyes, which were gradually returning to brown. In her mannerisms and gait, she reminded him of a deceased porter from the dog pit.

In a sense, was he the father who had given her a second life? But saying that would probably get him beaten, Cesar thought. He had given her life so casually, then completely forgotten about it, like a baby tossed on the ground. At the time, he'd thought he was saving a life, but in reality, it wasn't a serious thought, more like a harmless joke about death.

Even though the guy was mute, Cesar didn't know what to say. Perhaps every parent who'd abandoned a child wouldn't know what to say to their child when they unexpectedly saw the abandoned one, unless they were being overly hypocritical. This guy, wearing a cloak and a hunter's coat, had nothing to do with him anymore. But considering he'd been so mad at her during the worg sacrifice, it seemed like there was still some personal grudge between them.

"Cesar," he said. "You're from another era, so you can call me whatever you want. But in this era, I use this name more often."

"You're very casual about names."

The voice sounded deeper and more distant, decayed and old, and seemed to be getting weaker and weaker, soaked with traces of time.

"I've seen you in the wilderness," Cesar said, his voice a quiet, female one. "But it seems we have nothing to do with each other. I can't see you, nor can I feel you. I can only hear your voice. Honestly, why am I here?"

"You and Princess Ajehe are like the same person."

The sound had no source, as if it came from many directions, and as if it came from his own ears, both far away and close.

"It was an accident," Cesar stated.

"It's not surprising that when people dream they dream about another version of themselves, but they don't dream about another person."

Given that this man was a Kuna priest, should he seriously consider his opinion? Perhaps, but the matter was too far-fetched and seemed illusory. He had no time to worry about anything else right now. Only after he completed the defense of the city and opened up the situation would he have the energy and qualifications to explore all the secrets behind him.

"I've already refused to wear a crown, let alone be a princess." Cesar spread his hands and said, "Why can't we talk about something practical?"

"The way you said this is not much different from hers."

"I must say I'm not a quiet person."

"Silence or not is just a symptom; it doesn't determine a person's true nature. You are like two sides of the same coin."

"Well, Priest, I am whoever you want me to be. If you think of me as Princess Ajeh, then I am Princess Ajeh. And as a princess, I—" Cesar noticed the mute girl's eyes narrowed and she leaned forward, and he couldn't help but restrain himself a little, no longer letting his impulsive speech run wild. "Uh, anyway, that's not important," he said nonchalantly, changing the subject. "What's important is that I'm in deep trouble right now, and I have no time to worry about anything else. I don't know what you want me to do, but whatever you want, before you do, can I ask you a few questions?"

"Ask, Your Highness," said the priest.

"I used the breath of a true dragon to steady my mad path. Is this true?"

"The breath of a true dragon is the origin of life, and it can maintain the form of life from collapse. But a breath of it is not enough to fight against the Crimson Realm. You are special in your own right."

“Why am I special?”

"I am just a fragment of memory. I cannot see that history," the priest said. "You have to ask those who are actually alive today."

Grandmaster Ferriers was undoubtedly the best choice, but he didn't want to die. Next up were some of the monastics who had survived to this day. He hoped Brother Xiluo could lead him to some clues.

"In this case, the problem comes to a more practical level." Cesar said thoughtfully, "Can I perform the ceremony myself in the wasteland, disturb the slumber of the real dragons myself, and absorb their breath myself?"

This would be useful not only to himself, but perhaps also to Artinya.

"Living creatures cannot disturb their own origins, but beastmen are not included. They carry the innate marks of the true God." The priest replied.

Cesar realized that the matter had returned to the Beastmen. "I have a group of scarlet goblins with me, who can mimic many creatures that have ever existed in the world. Can they do it?" he asked.

"Those goblins lack a king, a leader who represents all of them," the priest said. "If you wish to instruct them to perform a ritual to disturb the dragon, you must truly communicate with them, fulfill their wishes, and ultimately, find them a king."

"I don't know where to find their lost king."

"No need to search. You can transform a human into their king, whether it's yourself or someone you trust. However, their requirements are very harsh, and I have no way of judging. Thousands of years ago, when they were still forest elves, their requirements were very harsh. Now that this tribe is trapped in the curse, I am afraid that they will have many more demanding requirements."

"I will... try my best to negotiate." Cesar nodded and said, "As long as we find them a king who accepts their transformation, they will master the ritual on their own?"

"Indeed."

"Yes, I have nothing in particular to ask. Perhaps next time, I'll come with other people's questions, but that's all for now. What brought you here, Priest?"

"The wolf behind you has an inextricable connection with this cemetery," the priest said. "She doesn't seem to want to show herself, nor does she want to respond to me in the slightest. If possible, I hope you can persuade her to walk here. I'm weak now, and she can help me solve many insurmountable problems."

Cesar's eyes widened. The gray-haired Ajeh seemed to be close to the source of many things. "You mean... that girl was born here? What did she look like when she was first born?"

A pair of wolf claws seemed to be pinching his neck. He reached out to scratch it, and felt the clear claw marks. He couldn't help but grin. Could this girl have been watching him the whole time? She was watching him do whatever he did.

Chapter 261: Nurturing

Wolf claws carried Cesar away from this place, and their paths crossed with the dark-haired Ajeh. It felt like a dream. He felt like Ajeh again, but he found his hands rough, his fingers too large, his arms too strong, and then he realized they were not his own hands. As he realized this, he felt her soul gradually shrinking within him, slowly disappearing, and finally, he was himself again.

Perhaps on the other side, Ajehe would also feel that she was Cesar, and feel that Cesar's soul was gradually shrinking and disappearing in her body, and finally she became herself.

What exactly this meant, Cesar could not understand, but he felt in a trance that the memory and impression of the Sassoulet in his soul had become more profound. If he saw Musali again, he might habitually call him brother, and the thought of this made him feel absurd and strange.