Baator Hell Promotion

"This greatly confused Miss Rachel. Where did the black-winged angel come from? However, the Perfect One soon provided an answer to our questions. The devout Edim brought Judith to visit me, hoping that we could hold a ceremony of atonement for Judith."

"No, don't get me wrong, miss." Seeing Hopper's expression, the Archbishop added, "Knight Edim did not break his oath. Even dear Judith only told us that she was saved by a woman named Hopper."

The Devil understood. She turned to Rachel, looked at the familiar face and said, "So, you guessed it, right? Professor Yuti."

Rachel, oh, we should call her Uti now, smiled ever wider. She reached out and grasped her blonde hair, pulling gently, like peeling a fig, to remove her disguise.

"Long time no see, my excellent student." Yuti shook her hair and stretched. A sulphurous scent mingled with the fragrance of flowers filled the air, causing the Archbishop's nose to wrinkle slightly. "I should have thought of this long ago. Lady Stern will not let me off so easily."

"It seems that the shattering of the labyrinth has caused you considerable damage." Hopper noticed that her right wing was no longer bright red but pitch black, and the place where the left wing should have grown was empty.

Yuti's beautiful face twisted for a moment, but quickly recovered. She shrugged and said nonchalantly, "How can we escape Barto's pursuit without giving up something? I guess you didn't come here for me, did you?"

It seems that she doesn't know my goal yet. Hopper quickly got two pieces of information from this.

First, the Inquisitor should not have been caught by her, or she simply did not know that the Inquisitor was involved in this matter.

Second, from the previous clue, we can infer that the informer would not be the Inquisitor, so the only insiders are the other dwarfs who were present that day.

"I don't know what you did, but it was undoubtedly effective," Hopper complimented. Even though Yudi's strength had decreased considerably, he thought it best not to provoke her directly. It was two against one, after all. "Our principal hadn't found any trace of you. The entire academy believed you had perished in the maze's collapse. Lady Stern simply sent me to Emerald Harbor for a short vacation to avoid Grand Duke Gracia's wrath."

Hopper didn't intend to lie to an archbishop and a pleasure demon (regardless of whether her power had decreased or not). That would be too stupid, but that didn't mean he needed to be 100% honest.

"That's perfect," Archbishop Eichmann said, taking over. "Since you've been free lately, why don't you listen to my terms and see if you're willing to take this deal?"

Despite revealing her true identity, Hopper didn't revert to her original form like Yuti did. She preferred this vulnerable appearance. Most mortals, even if they knew the devil beneath a harmless exterior, would still dismiss it due to psychological inertia and self-suggestion. This disdainful attitude gives the devil an advantage.

"Oh, venerable Archbishop," said the dwarf demon, "you have at your service a demon of pleasure who is more beautiful and far more powerful than I am. Is there anything she cannot do?"

"Miss Rachel is my closest servant," Eichmann smiled and patted the Devil of Pleasure's hand. "But she hasn't been entrusted with any important task by Lady Hearthheart. Only you can do this."

Eichmann refused to use Udi's real name, and Hopper caught the signal that there seemed to be a gap between them that could be exploited.

If you think I won't try to take control of the situation just because I'm facing a pleasure demon, you're underestimating me.

"Originally, I didn't take Lady Hearthheart's little whim seriously," Eichmann said, graciously waving his hand, indicating that he considered the Lady's plan insignificant. "However, poor Judith's death has attracted the attention of so many believers. This has given me an inspiration."

"I've done so much for the humans of this city. I organized an army to resist the orcs and expelled the alien farmers." The archbishop raised his voice slightly. "What have I gained? Gratitude? No, there are even quite a few humans who sympathize with our enemies."

Resentment and resentment caused cracks to appear on his perfect face for the first time, and his apple-shaped chin moved left and right as he ground his teeth.

"So I decided that this city needed a little cleansing," he finished. The word "cleansing" seemed to soothe him.

"What the Archbishop means," Professor Youti added considerately, "is that since we can successfully portray Judith's death as an angel taking her to heaven, then Lady Hearth's assassination can also be portrayed as a miracle of a perfect person."

"So," interrupted by Youti, the Archbishop's passion and anger cooled, and he returned to his perfectly polite state. "You may continue with Lady Hearthheart's plan, but I have a suggestion."

"We want you to transform into an alien form, not a black-winged angel." As if thinking of something, he added, "No, don't transform into a dwarf. That's too inconspicuous. I want you to choose a more conspicuous appearance."

Seeing him talking to himself, Hopper couldn't help but want to interrupt him.

"Ahem," she said, imitating the archbishop's pretentious manner, coughing twice. "You said it very well, but there is just one small problem."

The Archbishop and Youdi were both a little surprised, and they all turned to Hopper to see what she was going to say.

The dwarf raised his head, his eyes shining, and asked innocently, "How do you know I won't take the opportunity to shoot you to death?"

Chapter 174 An Irresistible Choice

If the roles were reversed and someone asked Hopper the same question, she would definitely tell the other person: "No comment."

After all, any information is a stone, and you never know which stone you give out will hit you on the head.

However, Eichmann and Uti had no such worries, or rather, they simply did not think Hopper posed any threat. Since there was no danger, they could fully enjoy the sense of superiority that came from knowing something unknown to others.

"It seems you haven't understood what kind of dwarf Lady Hearthheart is," Eichmann sighed.

Hopper felt that Eichmann seemed to be really addicted to criticizing alien races, and he seemed particularly happy when he recounted the despicable deeds of Lady Hearthheart.

"Do you really think Lady Hearthheart has complete trust in you?" The Archbishop said cheerfully, pouring himself another cup of tea. "From the moment I first heard about this plan, I found it ridiculous."

"Remind me, Rachel dear," he asked Uti, "what is the bow they made called? Winter Moon?"

The "Blue Moon" Delight Demon also poured himself a cup of tea. "It is made of two elven bows, one of which is called the Winter Moon."

"That's the problem, don't you see?" The Archbishop added some milk to his tea, stirred it, and stared at Hopper, waiting for her answer.

Hopper shook her head. She didn't know the answer, but it didn't matter. Eichmann's desire to express himself was so strong that even if she knew the answer, she would pretend not to know.

"Tsk tsk, Ms. Hopper, Judith seems to overestimate your intelligence," the archbishop commented sarcastically, clicking his lips.

"Let me answer your question. I'm the epitome of perfection." He didn't even glance at Hopper as he spoke, his gaze fixed on his tea. "It's simple. Those two bows are elven bows."

"At first, I thought it was that old white whale of the Vlinster family who was stirring up trouble. After all, his wife has a special fondness for elf items that have been dead for centuries, and he also agreed to the auction," he explained. "But when our informant told me that it was Hearthheart who bought the bow, I wasn't particularly surprised."

"I don't know if you've ever encountered elves in Hell," the archbishop said, amused by his own witticism. "But I can confidently say that I've done extensive research on these tree-loving monsters to prevent them from wreaking havoc on the world again."

After talking about his area of ​​expertise, the archbishop became visibly excited. He waved the stirring spoon as if it was a flag commanding the army to charge at the elves.

"Elves always think they are noble and elegant, looking down on everyone. They even look down on their own half-bloods. Otherwise, why didn't they take those bastards with them when they left this world? Similarly, they don't believe non-elves can make good use of their weapons. Those two bows only recognize elves as their masters, and even then, only recognize kind elves."

The Archbishop blew the steam off his teacup with disdain and glanced at Hopper. "Excuse me, ma'am. From your race to your heart, you are not worthy of the approval of those two bows. I don't think the corpse you pieced together with the remains of those two bows can penetrate my magical protection. Furnace Heart knew this all along, but she didn't say a word to you, right?"

"Mrs. Hearthheart herself didn't intend to kill you. She just wanted to break your mythical aura."

Hopper wasn't really interested in the information about the bow; she was more concerned about the magical protection the archbishop had just mentioned.

"Perhaps you are very confident in yourself," Hopper nodded. "Perhaps the Perfect Man has given you strong protection. But I don't believe Lady Hearthheart would do something without any confidence. What if that happens?"

The Archbishop laughed heartily; as Hopper had guessed, his vanity and arrogance would not allow him to be low-key.

"Ms. Rachel, it seems our guest is being overly cautious." He smiled and stood up. "Why not let her try it herself?"

Ms. Youti hesitated for a moment, then stood up as well. She snapped her fingers, and the furniture in the room began to move, shaking their wooden legs and consciously making a wide path.

The room they were in occupied an entire floor of the lighthouse. It was quite large and seemed to serve as both a reception room and a prayer room. The furniture had been moved aside to form a wide runway.

The Archbishop walked to the window, about twenty feet away from Hopper. Seeing Hopper ready, he nodded to Ms. Rachel.

"I said once I start, you can attack me in any way you can think of."

Hopper walked silently to the door. Technically, she should have taken out her longbow, but the succubus had other ideas. Her hands, hidden behind her back, clutched a crystal cup filled with hot tea.

"start!"

With a "bang", the dwarf disappeared from the spot. She rushed out like an arrow and hit the archbishop in the face. However, the smile on the archbishop's face was perfect, and he didn't even raise his hand.

He didn't need to move. Hopper felt the air around the Archbishop turn into thick mud, less than three feet in radius, but enough to completely stop her attack. She was like a fly with its legs stuck to pine resin.

However, the demon did not give up. She immediately threw the hidden teacup at the archbishop's head. Could he also have a protective shield on his head?

As it turned out, there was indeed one. The cup slid down the invisible wall and smashed to the ground with a bang. Even the splashing tea avoided Eichmann. Instead, Hopper himself and Yudi, who was standing next to him, got their shoes wet.

"So, do you believe it, Ms. Hopper?" Eichmann was not surprised by the result at all. He cupped his hands and watched Hopper withdraw her hands with satisfaction.

The Lust Demon nodded and said, "Your defense is indeed difficult to penetrate. I have no doubts."

"Let's go sit back by the fire," Hopper suggested tentatively. This test gave her a plan. "Sorry for breaking your cup."

The archbishop kindly waved his hand to let it go, and even offered a chair closer to the fire to Youti, whose shoes were wet.

"So, we have finally reached a preliminary consensus," the Archbishop said. "Are you willing to accept this commission now?"

"Do I have any other choice?"

"I'd love to comfort you, but unfortunately, there's no one." Eichmann straightened up, his expression like a cat playing with a mouse. "There's no third succubus in the entire Emerald Harbor, but that doesn't mean I can't find other helpers to do this."

"Besides, I don't see any reason for you to refuse," the Archbishop continued, listing his conditions. "You have caused me considerable damage. I can let Judith and Salia's deaths go, and I can also let the knight who maintained a close relationship with you go."

He blinked to show that he understood, and then went on to count out the rewards.

"You've known Luxin for a while, so you should know that she's a strong, mean, and stingy old freak. What kind of compensation can she offer you? Take a look at my offer."

Eichmann gestured. Yuti obediently turned and walked toward the locked cabinet. As the Devil of Pleasure bent down to hand the bag to the Archbishop, the necklace on his chest suddenly slipped out, and a silver pendant reflected the firelight into Hopper's eyes.

Hopper initially thought it was a plain silver disc, but its brilliance reminded him of the mirror that had allowed Youdi to survive the siege of three enemies. Could there be a connection between the mirror and the Archbishop's protection?

"Open it and take a look," the Archbishop said, handing the pocket to Hopper, interrupting her recollections.

The pouch was lightweight, made of fine tanned lambskin, and could hold no more than ten gold coins. Nobles and merchants often used it to store gems, humorously calling it a "coin purse." It was the perfect concealment for bribes and shady dealings.

Before he even opened it, Hopper guessed what was inside. As the bag untied, several low-quality crystals tumbled out, seemingly containing some inclusions.

"Five Soul Prisms, this is the deposit." The Archbishop's expression seemed to be certain that Hopper would be satisfied with this bargaining chip. "The Hearth can't afford this price."

"I thought priests didn't use currency from the lower planes." Hopper picked up a coin and looked at it against the firelight. A bearded soul roared at her inside.

"The Perfect One taught us that alien races constantly encroach on humanity's living space." The Archbishop drew a circle on his chest to express his respect for God. "Then making full use of the alien souls is just a small compensation for humanity. Besides, their souls are indeed very useful."

"It seems that your recovery must be thanks to the Archbishop." The demon bowed slightly and said to Youdi, "I guess the Archbishop also spent a lot of souls to repair your serious injuries."

Although Eichmann said it was nothing, judging from the curled corners of his mouth, he was very pleased with Hopper's compliment.

"But," Hopper changed the subject, "aren't you afraid that I might run away with the money?"

Now it was Udi's turn to smile, a smile that felt like Hopper was still in Emberhold, asking her a very simple question.

"No, of course you wouldn't." Yudi's expression was proud and determined. "I know hundreds of succubi, and you all share the same characteristics of mid-level devils: your greed for souls and status always drives you to take risks. You won't pass up any opportunity to seize a soul."

"And, just as I wouldn't refuse to execute a dwarf," Eichmann continued, "you won't refuse to serve a powerful force. I don't know how Hearthheart explains her rebellious behavior, but in my opinion, her actions will inevitably lead to unrest in this city. My mission will not only bring you great profits, but also allow you to personally participate in maintaining order in Emerald Harbor. This is your devilish nature. What reason do you have to choose Hearthheart over me?"

Hopper shifted unnaturally. Eichmann's words were full of condescension, which made Hopper very uncomfortable, but she had no way to refute it.

"You're right," she reluctantly extended her hand. "I wish us a pleasant cooperation."

Chapter 175 Cleaner

"Igar, it's your turn today!" A nearly adult black orc pushed Igor and unceremoniously stuffed a basket of bread and raw meat wrapped in leaves into his arms. "The answer to the password is Elf Head."

He spoke, but before the brown-skinned orc could respond, he ran away.

Igor willingly dropped his shovel, picked up his basket, and set out on his journey to deliver food along the mountain wall.

He had been in Eagle's Nest for some time and had already gained a preliminary understanding of the valley where the orcs lived. This was all thanks to Daruk, who provided considerable assistance to Igor's infiltration.

Today was the Harvest Festival, or "Blood Day" as the orcs called it. All tribes would perform a blood bathing ritual on this day, pouring blood from a corner of their bodies to pray for the favor of the one-eyed god. Therefore, delivering meals, a task no one normally wanted, was even less so today.

Igor, disguised as an orc, stopped on the platform on the mountainside. From this angle, he could see the roughly repaired watchtower at the mountain pass, and a number of green and brown dots busy working on the charred ruins.

Igor watched for a moment as his turn finally arrived in the queue at the watchtower ahead. He silently thanked the artisans and priests of the City of Brew—their imitation of divine blood had not only imbued him with an orc's appearance, but also with his strength and accent, mimicking them perfectly. He now towered over the surrounding orcs by half a head, a formidable presence that deterred no orc in the queue from cutting in.

"Are you delivering food to the 'Masters' again?" The guard's helmet tilted as he lifted the leaves covering the basket and rummaged through it. He sniffed through his flat nose, his saliva practically dripping at the whole piece of raw meat. "I'm not targeting you, Yigal. You know, since that last incident, the Great Chief has increased inspections at all checkpoints."

The guard rummaged through the basket, leaving it in disarray. He withdrew his hand only after confirming it contained no prohibited items. A piece of fresh, raw meat suddenly appeared in his palm—clearly the spoils of his rummaging. Orcs don't accept bribes, as they take what they want.

Igor grunted, covered the basket, walked past the sentry post, and continued to climb. He still had a long way to go, and if he couldn't reach his destination before the "masters" starved, he would definitely be whipped.

Fortunately, the destination wasn't at the highest point of the valley, so a flying mount wasn't necessary. In fact, after passing the second outpost on the mountainside, Igor chose a fork in the road that led downward. This mountain road, a familiar one to him, wound down between boulders and cliffs until it disappeared into an inconspicuous hole in the mountain wall.

The location of the cave was very clever. If one didn't stand right in front of it, neither the birds flying in the sky nor the orcs looking up from the ground would be able to notice that there was such a hole in the mountain wall.

The Inquisitor took a deep breath and prepared to face the terrifying existence inside.

Darkness is the cave's first layer of defense. Only creatures with darkvision, like orcs, can walk in a lightless environment. Any attempt to bring light to the cave will result in the guardian's unhesitating attack.

"The One-Eyed Man has his stolen eye and an elf's head before him. What will he choose?" Two green lights lit up in the darkness. They were the eyes of the Guardian. His voice was as low as thunder.

"Elf Head"

The owner of the green light stared at him for a moment without blinking, then stepped aside. Igor touched his left arm, nodded, and walked over.

Even though this wasn't his first time there, he still felt uneasy at the Guardian's twisted and evil presence. From what the Inquisitor knew, this so-called Guardian was actually an orc infected with lycanthropy. Its entire body, save for its face, was covered in dense black fur. From its protruding lips, interlocking fangs protruded jaggedly. Even just passing by, Igor could clearly smell the distinctly bestial stench emanating from it.

After passing the guardian, he walked for a long time in the dark and winding cave before he finally saw a light. The light came from a cave entrance, and outside the cave stood four guards who were even taller than Igor's orc appearance.

"You again? Yigar," the leading captain put away his weapon after seeing him clearly, and jokingly said, "You should give a punch to those weaklings who threw the job at you."

For most orcs, walking through guarded caves and serving several eccentric and arrogant masters was not a pleasant job. Even among orcs whose chieftains specifically assigned them to serve the masters, menial tasks like delivering meals were usually performed by the youngest or smallest orcs.

Yigal smiled innocently and took out a leather water bag from the bottom of the basket. The captain's eyes lit up and he couldn't wait to open it and drink a big gulp. Then he lowered his voice and said

"Yigal, a warning to you. 'Sharp Fang' seems to have been reprimanded by the messenger. You'd better stay away from him."

The Inquisitor nodded and walked into the light carrying the basket.

The source of the light came from three crystals within the cavern. These half-human-height crystals were held aloft by fine, neatly shaped metal bases. The light within them danced and twisted, filling the entire cavern with a pulsating light source. In the center of the crystals lay a bubbling crucible, a muddy liquid lazily bubbling within.

He didn't dare look any further, simply carrying his basket and walking inside. There were only six spellcasting orcs in the cave. Aside from the spellcasters, no orcs relished the taste of arcane magic, and these "masters" didn't need the protection of other orcs. Under the personal guidance of the "Emissary," they were already the most powerful of the orcs.

According to what Igor had gleaned during casual conversation, the Emissary had trained a total of nine orcs, but two of the warlocks had died in the turmoil caused by Hopper. Originally, these orc "masters" had been assigned to two-person teams, taking turns guarding the crystal, but the deaths of the two warlocks left gaps in their rotations. Their status within the Eagle's Nest was second only to the Chieftain, so transcendent that no other orc could rearrange their roster.

"You're not too late, just leave it there." Six orc warlocks were powering the crystal according to the messenger's instructions. The only free orc turned around after hearing the noise. On his brown-green face, where the nose should have grown, there were only two narrow black holes.

Igor lowered his head, put the basket on the table by the wall, and began to clean up the messy garbage in the cave.