Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"Uh, it was very fulfilling..."

Samael, huddled in bed under the covers, had a flickering gaze and for a moment seemed to feel weak and subdued.

"That's good."

The Empress, acting as the hostess, smiled and nodded, then snapped her fingers, causing the ether in the air to pulsate.

Samael, who was in the corner, felt a chill on his body. The blanket that had wrapped him up tightly was suddenly corroded and decomposed by the toxic ether in the air.

The ancient snake instinctively covered its lower body and shrank back.

"What are you doing?"

"Didn't I say I'd serve you in the morning?"

Semiramis smiled faintly, her devout attitude seemingly full of respect.

“A king should naturally have the dignity of a king; a god should naturally be treated with the courtesy of a god. As for serving you, it is more sincere for me to do it myself.”

Then, the Empress paused for a moment, glanced at the fleeting white figure outside the courtyard, and looked at Samael again with some hesitation before tentatively speaking.

"Or perhaps you have a particular fondness for the Dragon Tooth Soldiers in the courtyard?"

"..."

The ancient snake, having been teased, twitched at the corner of its mouth, sighed helplessly, spread its hands, and chose to lie flat.

Since things have come to this point, as a deity, it is naturally difficult to refuse the sincerity of believers.

With permission granted, Semiramis took the clothes and gently draped them over the body of the god-king. Then she patiently fastened each button and adjusted the sash.

During the changing, his narrow eyes brazenly surveyed the perfect divine body before him, while his fingertips, gliding over the divine skin, carried a hint of playful pleasure.

It was as if this pleasure-loving Assyrian empress had acquired a novel and exciting toy.

As the last button was fastened, Samael breathed a sigh of relief, his face looking rather pale.

However, thankfully, the mental and physical torment has finally come to an end.

After satisfying her small interest, the Empress Shiran stood up and asked seriously.

"Your Majesty, is it about to begin again?"

"This isn't wartime. I'm just on vacation and looking for something to do. There's no need to be so formal."

Hearing the seriousness in her words, Samael shook his head, dispelling the Assyrian empress's concerns.

Upon hearing this, Semiramis visibly breathed a sigh of relief, and the smile on her face became more relaxed.

Although witnessing firsthand the epic and moving scenes, seizing every one-in-a-million chance, turning the impossible into possible, and winning slim victories, these are indeed things worth remembering and being proud of.

But after playing the thrill game too much, you're bound to get a little tired.

If given a choice, one might as well enjoy life to the fullest in this modern era.

After calming herself down, the Empress sat down lazily at the table, took out a pitcher of chilled wine from the magic circle, filled her glass, and casually asked a question while swirling the wine.

"So, what are your plans next?"

"Have a good game, and while you're at it, take care of some household chores."

Samael, who was standing by the window gazing into the distance, turned around and spoke meaningfully.

The game is just a way to trick a certain stubborn saintess; as for domestic matters...

Heh, he hasn't forgotten who started the mess in the Holy Grail War in Tulipas.

Even if the woman wasn't the mastermind, she still deserves the blame for fanning the flames.

Moreover, he hadn't settled the score with her for the time she tricked him in Fuyuki City and took advantage of his labor.

Now that the other side has run into the line of fire, let's take this opportunity to settle both old and new scores. If we get the chance, we can also take care of Yustisa, who's causing trouble outside.

The Empress took a sip of red wine, raised her eyebrows, and looked somewhat curious.

"game?"

"Yes, a bet with an old friend."

Samael nodded and briefly explained the rules of the game.

"I will not personally participate in this Holy Grail War. I will only be responsible for coordination and some basic intelligence analysis. To be fair, I will not care how you fight or win. If I had to use an analogy, you are the king pieces that you need to guard. In the end, whichever side wins, I will grant them a small wish as appropriate."

"Any wish is okay?"

Semiramis was quite tempted upon hearing this.

"Hey, can you listen to the prefix? (As appropriate!)"

Samael rolled his eyes and reiterated his unlimited right of interpretation as the event organizer.

These days, you have to pay to watch shows. A big-budget special effects movie with live performances is definitely worth the ticket price.

If you enjoy yourself, the Ancient Serpent wouldn't mind giving you a small reward and fulfilling some reasonable requests, as a tip.

But being a cautious and cunning old fox, he wouldn't be foolish enough to dig a hole for himself and unconditionally fulfill any request.

Tch, thousands of years have passed, and this snake is still as slippery as ever. It never tells a straight story.

Having seen through her boss's true nature, the empress secretly rolled her eyes and couldn't help but mutter a few complaints to herself.

"However, if you want to rebuild Assyria, I might consider funding your country's establishment. If Ereshkigal agrees, you can also borrow the Hell Dragon Riders from Paradise Lost. Anyway, the Middle East is already chaotic enough, and the government is in the hands of those insects. It might be better to let you try. It might actually be a good thing for the country and its people."

Just as Semiramis was inwardly mocking him, Samael, who was listed in the Babylonian pantheon, stroked his chin and, unusually seriously, offered a strategy of assistance.

Upon hearing this serious reflection, Semiramis felt a pang of guilt for having spoken ill of her superior.

But the excitement lasted only three seconds before the man abruptly changed his tone, shattering the illusion he had made.

"Of course, that's on the condition that you win this Holy Grail War first, so you must protect me."

Tsk, I knew it wasn’t that simple.

The empress, her appetite whetted, gritted her teeth, yet felt helpless against her boss's blatant seduction.

"Alright, that's all I wanted to say. Now, enjoy the entertainment."

Samael stretched comfortably and reached for the wine on the table.

"Snapped!"

However, as soon as the ancient serpent raised its hand, the empress ruthlessly slapped away its outstretched claws.

"Have you forgotten my name? You dare drink my wine?"

Semiramis rolled her eyes at Samael, then snorted and moved the bottle of bright red wine away.

"What's there to be afraid of? We're so familiar with each other, there's still some trust between us. You wouldn't go so far as to poison me, would you?"

The vigorous exercise in the morning, combined with the casual chat just now, left Samael feeling a bit thirsty, and he couldn't help but reach out again.

Semiramis picked up the half-empty bottle of wine from the table, stared at it intently, and gave it a distant, seemingly meaningful look.

“My king, you have entered into a strong pact with me. This is a good thing.”

Therefore, I will trust you and fight with all my might.

But, just a but.

Don't easily trust a woman who has a history of betrayal.

Trust can sometimes become a shackle.

Doubt becomes taboo, becomes suffering.

On the contrary, skepticism is a good thing.

Be wary of those who angrily question why they don't believe in themselves.

Because sooner or later those people will come up with the excuse that they "don't want to be suspected."

Therefore, we must always keep observing, constantly observing, and never stopping observing.

No matter how long the deception lasts

The act of deception itself is always unnatural.

Therefore, this unnaturalness will inevitably show.

"I seem to have said too much preamble..."

The Assyrian queen shared her experiences with a sigh, and at the end, she turned her head to look at someone at the table, her narrow eyes slightly narrowed, revealing a hint of mockery.

"Then what if I told you that the cup in your hand is also poisoned?"

"Do you think what I said is true or not?"

At that moment, Samael, who was unable to suppress his craving and reached for half a glass of leftover wine on the table, paused slightly.

"I will drink your wine, whether it is poisoned or not."

But then, the ancient serpent revealed a gentle smile, and generously tilted its head back and drank the half-cup of scarlet wine in one gulp.

"boom!"

However, the moment the wine entered his throat, a hand covered in bulging veins gripped the corner of the table, and the ancient snake was struck as if by lightning.

Eleven monsters... Bashmu...

Semiramis lifted her smooth chin with one hand and asked with a smile of concern.

"what happened?"

"nothing."

"tasty?"

"strong enough!"

Amidst gentle inquiries, Samael managed a bright and sincere smile, praising the fine wine in his glass. However, his face was sallow, and his facial muscles seemed to be clenching his teeth as he spoke.

"Would you like another drink?"

The Empress took out a half-empty bottle of wine hidden behind her back, asked with a half-smile, and then filled the glass with wine as she spoke, her face full of anticipation.

"..."

Samael, feeling his stomach convulsing, glanced at the smiling Empress, then at the blood-red wine, and froze in mid-air.

"Don't worry, this cup isn't poisoned."

Seemingly noticing the god's hesitation, the empress smiled slightly, made a promise, then turned her head to the side, half-covering her pretty face, with a hint of melancholy and sadness.

"Of course, if you don't believe me, that's fine too. After all, I'm a vicious woman who murdered her own husband..."

"No, I was just thinking that good things should be shared, and that reciprocity is essential for lasting friendships."

Samael smiled, took out another bottle of wine and a new glass from the magic circle, filled it with wine, and then returned it to the other side.

"I brought back some fine wine from the church yesterday. They say it's a special offering to God. Why don't you try some?"

Then, the man seemed to add something superfluous, his eyes flashing with a rather provocative glint.

"Don't worry, I didn't poison it."

"That's true. It would be impolite to let you drink alone. It's more appropriate to drink together."

Semiramis's smile remained unchanged. She briefly inhaled the aroma of the wine in her cup, then elegantly raised her glass to clink with Samael's. She tilted her head back and drank the crimson nectar in one gulp, praising this divine gift without reservation.

"Hmm, it's sweet and delicious, truly a fine wine worthy of worshiping the gods."

At that moment, the deity, who had followed suit and drunk the wine, moved his lips tremblingly, and his face darkened even more.

Hydra...

"Your Majesty, how can you so easily trust a wicked woman? Don't you know that women are the most deceitful?"

The Assyrian queen swirled her wine cup, offered her earnest advice, and then smiled.

He offered a comforting smile.

"Don't worry, this dosage will only cause you a little pain."

"Of course, if you prefer a different texture, you can let us know in advance next time."

Semiramis rose gracefully from in front of her superior, picked up the remaining half of the wine offered to the gods, and prepared to enjoy it by herself while appreciating the pleasure before her.

"Bang!"