Shadow of the Evil God

"Have you been watching?" Cesar asked. He wanted to find the gray-haired Ajeh and ask her many questions, but she said nothing. It was obvious that she was pretending nothing had happened. But it didn't matter. Once she arrived in the wasteland, she knew there were some things she couldn't escape.

As I was thinking, the dog's voice came over. "Where have you been, Master?" she asked. "Somewhere far away?"

She sat down on the seat next to him, observing him with curiosity, her hands on his shoulders and her face leaning in. If she had a dog's tail, it would probably be wagging. Cesar shook his head, feeling a little confused, and then he lay down in her arms. She reached out and rubbed his brow, her breast pressed against his ear, and he could feel the soft warmth through his clothes.

"Can you notice the subtle difference between us?" Cesar asked her, looking up at her.

"The difference between you and her is obvious," Gouzi nodded, revealing an inscrutable smile of joy. "But you can't sense it with human senses. When that guy was outside Neuen, he treated me like a child. It was really scary."

Cesar's face darkened as he thought about how Gouzi would teach him a lesson with a sword, just like teaching him a lesson to a child. Given this comparison, if she wanted to teach him a lesson, wouldn't it be like teaching her a disobedient grandson?

"If that guy were on our side, things would be much easier," he said.

She blinked. "That's impossible."

"What's impossible?"

"She can't be on your side, Master. She won't be where you are."

"I don't understand," Cesar said.

The dog studied him, its face quiet in thought. "Don't you see how distinct your paths are, Master? The more you value power relationships, the more she despises them; the more you desire to stay in the heart of the city, the more she longs to wander the woods and wilderness. You take possession wherever you go, taking everything you can, while she, on the other hand, takes nothing wherever she goes, always possessing nothing. Sometimes, she even actively gives it away."

Cesar was about to mention the mute girl of Neuen, but then he remembered that she was cursed with nowhere to go, so he kept silent. Ajeh's taking her wasn't really taking her; she was simply taking a small animal that would be in trouble if left alone, to prevent the curse on her from deepening and her path from becoming increasingly deviant. As for him, it was clear that he would seize and take whatever he wanted, and he would brood over what he couldn't get.

He couldn't help but recall how he'd longed for Cecia during the time they'd known each other. The memory was still vivid, like yesterday, sometimes even more addictive than the lust surrounding him. He remembered the evening after their first swordfighting match. She held her longsword, the blade pressed against his chest, her forehead wet with sweat, her crimson hair wisps plastered to her skin, radiant in the orange light, as beautiful as the sunset itself. For a moment, he felt like she should just stab him.

The thought was not surprising, it was simply that his desire to complete the artistic composition outweighed the reality itself. Then, they shared a drink at the inn in the midst of that brilliant sunset.

Later, he said goodbye to Cecia, believing he was experiencing a state of forgetfulness and letting go. It wasn't until he remembered her arm draped over his shoulders in a dream that he realized this was completely untrue. Rather, he was truly possessing everything he desired, and even those he had to let go would be lingering. In his dreams, he longed for Cecia, for Brother Kallen, and even around him, he constantly longed for the people he was touching, as well as those he believed he shouldn't touch.

In this desire, love emerges silently like the dark side of desire. Cesar once thought that he only liked Diana's perfect appearance and the temperament in her every move, but later he found that he loved her.

"The longing in your heart is rising like the tide," Gouzi said. "You want so much, it's endless, isn't it? This path leaves something that doesn't belong to everyone, but it fits you perfectly. This must be some kind of destiny."

"Even if you say that, I won't be happy."

"Yes," she said, "you used to deny yourself in the same way, but then you would accept yourself, then deny yourself again, then accept yourself again."

Cesar didn't know how to answer. The dog seemed to be becoming more and more aware, but her words were becoming more and more adept at disturbing his soul and mind. He reached out and touched her flawless cheek. A slight pull would separate it, breaking it into several soft limbs. But she used words to reveal his

His thinking was also very accurate. Even the most careless words were like sharp needles that would make him bleed.

"Do you want me to comfort you, Master?" She blinked and said in a childish voice, "I will comfort you in a moment."

"That's hardly comforting," he said.

"I've already drunk the blood. Just hold me tight. It won't be uncomfortable."

Cesar looked up and saw the dog's snow-white breasts struggling out of the clothes, trembling slightly, plump and erect. His cheeks felt white and tender, swollen as if filled with juice. The two nipples were bright red, and the red blush surrounding them was round and bulging. In the hazy morning light filtering through the carriage window, they were extremely beautiful, with a charming glow.

She held his head, shoulders gathered, and with her chest lifted, she caressed his cheeks and neck, caressing them like soft, white fat sliding against the body, slowing the mind and bringing a sense of languor. The ornament grazes his face flexibly, gradually resting on his lips. A flush swelled, and a liquid oozed out. It dripped onto his lips, and the scent was fragrant, even tinged with the aroma of sweet wine.

"you......"

The dog still looked nonchalant. "Isn't this a way to forget worries and relieve sorrow? Although there are some subtle differences, you won't feel uncomfortable, right? You can grab them hard, hold them tighter, or bite them hard until you are completely satisfied..."

Cesar looked up at the Faceless One and couldn't help but grip it tightly, squeezing the plump, white flesh until it caved in and the reddish part rose even higher. Then a stream of fragrant juice spurted out, the tip still dripping. She let out a satisfied sound, holding him tightly with both hands, and placed it between his teeth, pressing it against the tip of his tongue and gently teasing it. The gurgling juice gradually soaked his lips and teeth, flowing into his throat.

After a while, the dog let go of his mouth, and then hugged him from behind, pressing them against his back until they were deformed. They started from his shoulders, with a wet touch, and then pressed down along his back to his waist, with an irresistible softness and comfort.

Cesar leaned against her, feeling his body grow languid between her soft breasts. Then his arms, from fingertips to wrists to elbows, grew languid in her tight embrace. His fingers began to separate their intertwined limbs, then involuntarily parted, landing on various parts of her soft, white flesh, biting those two embellishments, kneading and squeezing them, squeezing out more sweet juices.

The dog's flawless cheeks were also torn, with a gap from the jaw to the chest, pulling them hard, entangled with her own limbs. She wrapped them tighter and tighter, pulling them deeper and deeper, and finally sank completely into her gradually closing cheeks and chest. From this point of view, it seemed as if his entire upper arm had disappeared into her chest.

I have to say, this scene is quite absurd and scary.

The morning light flickered in Cesar's hazy consciousness. He felt his hands sinking into the mud, and at the end of each finger was a long, soft tongue, curling and twisting, tightly entangled, sticky and greasy, making him intoxicated.

"Although I can swallow you completely and give you the most delicate and thorough feeling, you may not like it. Then let's start with my arms." The dog said in his ear, "You know, Master, no matter how much you want to maintain your human form, we will get closer and closer. In any case, you can forget a lot of things here, forget all the constraints, just hold me tight, because we can always hold tighter. Just like this arm, everything..."

Cesar remembered when he had just woken up at the altar.

"Did you swallow me whole just like that?" he suddenly asked.

She tilted her head, puzzled, but continued, "It took a lot of effort for me not to bite you to pieces, Master. There's only a fine line between sharp teeth and soft tentacles. The slightest hint of hunger and I can't resist the urge to transform."

"What did you see when you transformed me?"

"It's like you've been chosen," Gouzi said. "No one is more suited to the path of the True God than you. Rather than being sacrificed as a sacrifice, it's certainly more appropriate for you to lead the sacrifice."

"Who put me on the altar?"

She blinked, "It's the white eyes."

"And the owner of the white eyes is Corini, and only Corini..."

"Yeah, he usually doesn't listen to Thane."

"So, it was Corini who brought me here and told old Thane that I was suitable for his sacrifice."

"It's definitely Corini. I don't know what happened before that. Since he doesn't know, I don't know either."

"I really want to know how this Corini got me out," Cesar said, then shook his head. "She might have secrets that even old Thane doesn't know. When the time is right, this person might be used as a prelude to a confrontation with old Thane. But right now, we have to get things done in the north."

Chapter 262: Imperial Brother and Imperial Sister

......

"It's been many years since we last met, my dearest sister! For the sake of not seeing you for so many years, could you please stop scolding your brother?"

It was a young governor, freshly mounted from the town ahead, accompanied by a detachment of local troops. Judging by his features, he was undoubtedly a relative of Artinia. He was tall and muscular, with silver hair tied in a ponytail, and it was clear he had at least some experience in swordsmanship. A lush mustache graced his ruddy face, and his black uniform, embellished with gold thread and a fashionable pattern, was accentuated by lace cuffs.

While attire was one thing, posture was another. The prince looked like a wealthy merchant or a handsome, elegant court noble. He looked languid and weary as he rode, more like a hunter in the forests of his domain than a military patrol. If he had to be given a title, Cesar thought the prince would be an artist and poet.

"You look well, Tusos. The beastmen are moving south in large numbers, and this is the only way they can pass through. I thought you had already fled." said Altinya.

Tusos didn't seem to mind. He grinned widely, as if the fact that Altinia hadn't scolded him had put him in a good mood. "Once they push further south, someone will tell me which way to go. Until then, I'll just have to get by the same way."

Cesar couldn't help but gasp. If the corpse-eaters truly reached the place where he was forced to take refuge, the people in his territory would have nowhere to go. But Tusos didn't seem to care. The prince was called the governor, but according to Artinia, he was just here looking for a job to do. It was said that the forest to the east was a sacred hunting ground, which suited Tusos's personal hobby. He would come here every now and then to patrol, claiming to be inspecting the territory when he went out, and usually returned with a large number of wild animals.

However, Tusos was the most human-like among the many princes and princesses under the Prime Minister's command. At least he could use a sword and a bow and arrow to hunt, which was much better than living in a brothel and unable to leave.

Compared to Altinya, he does live more freely.

She spoke carefully: "The Imperial Army in the north is resisting the Beastmen horde, but I heard the situation is not optimistic..."

"That's right!" Before Altinya could finish, Tusos spoke impatiently, "They are trying to stop the beastmen from moving south to protect me and my territory, and their morale is at its highest. Their sense of mission to defend the empire will make them fight to the death and prevent those crazy beasts from making any progress. Doesn't that make your blood boil? I'm currently recruiting militiamen from the local area. Even if I have to seek refuge in the future, they will form a solid line of defense here. When that happens, they will be your last line of defense, my sister!"

Altinya rubbed her brow lightly, trying to ease her anxiety. Cesar didn't know who started this behavior, but sometimes, her behavior was indeed very similar to Diana's. Before the Prime Minister's attack, her temperament might have been exactly the same as Diana's.

It was obvious that her royal brother Tusos had already come up with all the reasons for himself. In other words, he interpreted the changes in the world in a way that suited his own understanding. Although people are good at interpreting others by putting themselves at the center of the world, of all the people Cesar had met, he was also the one with the most interesting explanations.

On the one hand, Tusos was indeed afraid of the overwhelming force of the Corpse Eaters, but on the other hand, he also had a deep faith in the majesty of the empire and the royal bloodline. Thus, he pondered the balance between his own safety and the dignity of the royal family, and finally found a perfect reason to explain everything.

As long as the imperial soldiers were interpreted as sacrificing themselves with the noble intention of protecting the empire, and as representing the imperial family, and the imperial family representing the empire itself, the sacrifice became unproblematic. He then recruited militiamen from his territory, casually tossed them a few weapons, and instructed them to defend the territory, and his escape was no longer a problem. Before he recruited the militia, it was the governor who had fled in panic, leaving his subjects utterly wiped out. After he recruited the militia, even if local soldiers had voluntarily sacrificed themselves to protect the empire, he would still have a certain bloody honor on his shoulders.

In this way, all discomfort and dissatisfaction would be filtered out, and leading the escape would become an encouragement for the soldiers to fight here, and then retreat in defeat. When he returned to the capital, he would naturally be praised by a bunch of court nobles, because he already had nominal war experience, which was not comparable to those royal descendants who indulged in the world of pleasure.

Cesar thought that, seeing all her siblings displaying this kind of character, and Tussos even being a relatively superior one, Altinia's mere arrogance as a child was remarkable. The prime minister had gone to great lengths to ensure his daughter's influence, but perhaps not much effort was involved. If a noble royal descendant is not carefully nurtured and given a host of court nobles to fawn over from a young age, it can easily turn someone into a fool blind to the real world.

However, in order to get some craftsmen from Tusos that he no longer needs, it is still necessary to communicate with him.

"Is this the man worthy of your journey to Olidan?" Tusos's gaze fell on Cesar. "This brother seems to be subtly different from the Franks. Uh, is he too similar to the grassland people?"

"Yes, you can think of him as a Sasule. Chief Musali treats him as a brother." Altiniya started talking nonsense.

"Well, we brothers and sisters each have our own

"Is it your hobby? I mean, although you have your own secret hobby for these kind of barbaric, terrifying, uh, tall and mighty men, our souls are connected! He looks like he understands courage and honor, and is suitable for charging into battle, and can tear those little militiamen in half with their hands raised! Would you tear someone in half, sir?"

Cesar could only smile at him, "Yes, Your Highness."

"Very good! I completely understand you, sister. I used to admire such brave generals and would talk about their deeds of riding alone into the enemy camp with relish, but I didn't develop the same, uh, love for them as you do. I just admired them." Tusos subconsciously pulled his horse a little further away from him and lowered his voice to Altinia, "I heard that this man was a bloody demon on the battlefield. Have you seen it with your own eyes?"

"I've seen some." Altinia smiled back at him. "In Gonzales, Cesar single-handedly defended the pass at the command post. He held his sword and fought until the enemy dared no longer to enter the pass. When I saw him, he was covered in blood. Overwhelmed with emotion, I offered shelter to his shattered army, and that's how we became friends."

Tusos's eyebrows twitched. "Royal sister, to be honest, are you a little..."

Chapter 263: The Borgia Family Emerges with Talents

Rumors are fascinating and intriguing. You can't blame the banker, Loresa, for complaining about being tricked by the chancellor. Apparently, Artinia is also adept at fabricating rumors. She wants them to spread through Tussos' mouth and throughout the chancellor's court.

Musali and Cesar had only a decent relationship, yet she described them as brothers, as if the old Saen had a illegitimate child with a Sasule woman. Furthermore, this unknown Sasule woman also seemed to have an unknown blood relationship with Chief Musali.

As for the Battle of Gonzales, Cesar's defense of the command post pass was actually the least important part in the princess's mind, but she insisted on magnifying this matter, believing that it was his reputation for bravery and ferocity that she admired. The meaning conveyed by this is also worth considering.

Artinya wanted people to think that Cesar was a fierce Sassulei, at least because his mother was a Sassulei woman. Once this reputation spread and took hold, the chancellor would be prone to misjudgment.

Even if people later discovered that his army had made many unusual decisions, they wouldn't immediately attribute it to him. Although Cesar already had a reputation for organizing the defenses of Neuen, once people couldn't distinguish between rumor and truth, they would subconsciously assume the truth was consistent with their own perceptions. The more widespread the reputation for ferocity and bravery, the more likely other rumors would be questioned. After all, in the eyes of the imperial people, the Sassulai were synonymous with barbarity and brutality.

The Franks were at least separated from the Sassulai by the frozen mountains south of the Sheltering Abyss, but the empire under Clefas bordered directly on the steppes to the north.

This is what is meant by confusing the public.

As they rode on, Tusos continued to chatter to Artinya. Though the prince lowered his voice, Cesar could still hear it clearly. "Have you forgotten the imperial past, sister?" he asked. "Whenever a princess heard they were being married off to the steppes, they would be terrified and beg anyone they could, some even threatening death. Have you forgotten all this? Each of the steppe chiefs had more than ten wives, like beasts in human skins!"

It seems that the Imperials think that there is not much difference between the Sassulei and the Beastmen, and often confuse them with the Beastmen, thinking that the only difference is that the former look like humans, while the latter look nothing like humans.

"In truth, it was certain princes who formed an alliance with the Sasoulai people in order to consolidate their power," Altinia responded calmly. "Those weeping princesses are often their own sisters sent out. A marriage, a few treaties, and then a large army can be exchanged for their assistance. Many things are similar, brother. It's just that I don't have any sisters to send, so I have no choice but to put myself on the other side of the scale."

Was it worth sacrificing her reputation for the sake of misleading the public? Cesar couldn't quite tell, but Altinya clearly didn't care about her reputation in that regard. She prioritized things from high to low: a politician first, then a descendant of royalty, and finally a mere human woman.

"Okay, but he didn't bring a large army of steppe people with him, did he?" Tusos asked her in a low voice. "If you married him, after the wedding, a large army would cross the steppe and lead you to capture the territory of old man Clifas. That would be normal. But he is now trapped in the Gular Fortress, and your life is in danger. Don't you think what you are hoping for is unrealistic?"

Altinya smiled. "Some things are still in common, Tusos. The people of the steppes need to demonstrate their bravery through military exploits. He is, after all, a bastard, and will need to overcome many difficulties to further prove his bloodline. If we successfully defend the Gular Fortress, some of our hopes will naturally be fulfilled."

Cesar did have the idea of ​​communicating with Chief Musali. Once the battle at Olidan was successfully concluded, and once the territory of Klefas suffered a severe economic blow and could no longer provide effective logistical support to the army, their sustained combat capability would rapidly decline, leaving them facing a dual threat from both the Sasule and Olidan.

Therefore, as long as they held the Gural Fortress, they would have the opportunity to bring in the Sasuleans to attack the southwestern borders of the empire. Even if they couldn't completely eliminate Clefas's forces, they could force the old man to retreat step by step, all the way to a remote corner near the northwest peninsula.

By then, without the need for General Clifas's elaborate plans, they alone would be able to open up the north-south route and connect with the Sassulai people to form a complete trade route. This trade route could fully expand the trade that currently only exists in Neuen, forming a giant ring.

Cesar had already mapped out the future, the only thing missing was the crucial Gural Fortress. Knowing his brother Musali—no, Ajeh's brother Musali—he would certainly not miss this opportunity. This had nothing to do with stereotypes of steppe people as fierce and brave; it was simply a matter of practical considerations.

Now that Artinya has released half-true and half-false news, it will have little impact on the guards of the Gural Fortress, but people's speculation about him as the illegitimate son of the Borgia family will surely become more and more outrageous and further away from the truth.

Some forces might send spies to the grasslands to try to find out about Cesar's life. Thinking about it carefully, this person has always been unknown. Perhaps he grew up in the endless grasslands and went to Noyen to find his relatives many years later, and thus entered the multi-

Mini's royal sight?

As for the story of the illegitimate son, who, upon meeting his father, helped the Franks defend the fortress against the steppe people, the resulting melodramatic tale is naturally open to everyone's imagination. With this melodramatic story as a foundation, the alliance between the two sides after the war surprisingly seems plausible. Many people are not good at understanding the interplay of interests, but when it comes to bravery, honor, and illegitimate children, they gravitate towards it like flies to a scent, believing it to be the only truth.

“I thought that Sasoulai could lift you like a child,” Tusos muttered.

"The last time we met, I was only thirteen," Altinya said with a smile. "Perhaps you still have some misunderstandings about me, brother? In fact, I am tall enough to reach his chest. It's the Altinya you remember who is too small, too short, and quite arrogant."

"I always thought you would find a little guy shorter than you and put him in your palm to play with," Tusos said. "Walking with such a dangerous beast with human skin, you will easily get bitten with your temper, sister."

"It might be more fun to play with a beast with sharp fangs in your hands, brother," Artinya said nonchalantly. "If I get bit by it, it means I'm not good enough in my training."

Cesar's eyebrows twitched as they spoke. He wanted to interrupt their increasingly bizarre discussion, to prevent his image from becoming even more bizarre and the rumors from becoming even more alarmist. But he was several steps behind, pretending that he couldn't hear anything and was completely ignorant.

No matter what the two of them were arguing about, he could only follow them for many steps as if nothing had happened.

"I still don't understand." Tusos glanced at Cesar. "Ever since you met the Grandmaster, the old man has been very dissatisfied with you. I think that experience made your temper more extreme. Given your reputation among the ministers, you would choose many of their sons, making it easy for you to control the court."

"With my dear grandfather He Anlia here, no minister can be trusted."

"Only by going out?"

"Yes, the only way is to go out."

"But back then, at least you went to the capital of Dominion and led their newly minted military nobles to rise gradually. Isn't that better than heading to the most dangerous fortress in Olidan?"

Artinia shook her head slightly and said, "The court struggles in Dominica right now are a mess, even worse than ours. Do you still remember our eldest brother? Their prince is spoiled and arrogant. While he's not lacking in intelligence, he's very feminine and cruel, only slightly better than our eldest brother. Many nobles and ministers there have serious complaints about the crown prince."

"Because of, uh, that rumor?" Tusos lowered his voice.

It was a semi-open secret that the Dominican Crown Prince was the product of incest, the son of Queen Fenasia and her brother Garcia. However, the old Dominican King, a victim of excessive sexual activity in his youth, was now not only physically weak but also mentally challenged. Choosing a legitimate heir was difficult, and even his dependence on his young and beautiful queen was difficult. Some reported that the old king looked increasingly frail, while the queen grew more radiant and charming. Rumors arose that she was a life-sucking creature, and several poets were imprisoned for insulting her in their poems.

Altinya considered her words. "It's hard to say," she said, each word carefully. "I think the prince looks a bit like Garcia, but Garcia himself looks a bit like Fenacia, so it's hard to say he's Garcia's son."

"have you seen?"

"When I first arrived in Dominy, I met their crown prince. Queen Fenacia wanted to introduce him to me, but from what I saw, he was a guy who had no interest in women of higher status than himself."

"Why?"

"Because he can't satisfy his desires with women of higher status than himself, do you understand what I mean? Ever since the Queen asked him to be respectful to me, the Dauphin has lost sight of me. From the rumors I've heard, he just wants some unresisting livestock, but he's smart enough to think about who he can do whatever he wants. The Queen's request that he meet women who must be respectful to him may seem like a troublesome stone idol to him."

After hearing this, Cesar felt that the Borgia family was full of talented people.

Chapter 264 This is the student’s intention

"I bet she and our mother would have a lot to discuss!" Tusos shook his head and cracked his whip, looking rather indignant. "They're both very good at pampering their eldest sons, don't you think? Our eldest brother is more than just lacking in intelligence. If only our mother had found him a reliable teacher, he wouldn't be as clueless as he is now."

Artinya glanced at Tusos, as if wanting to say that Tusos might not be that good either.