Shadow of the Evil God

.......

Although he had arranged everything for those who had to leave, Cesar still had no idea what to do when it came to himself.

The lust for flesh and blood never truly disappeared, like a breath tinged with the smell of blood, lingering in his ears. Sometimes he felt that he had come into this world not only with a physical body, but also with a broken radio, cursed by some unknown curse, which would constantly play some noisy and piercing noise at him, driving him crazy.

Lately, he's been having recurring dreams. He sees a little wolf, its fur smooth and gray, curled up on the ground. It watches him walk through the muddy wasteland and past the endless redwoods, saying nothing, simply following him. In his dreams, he can see a massive crimson wall in the distance, like an endless wall of flesh and blood piercing the clouds, connecting heaven and earth.

When he woke up, Cesar felt that it was the Crimson Realm and he should stay as far away from it as possible, but in his dream, he just blindly moved towards the Wall of Flesh and Blood.

On a cold night, Cesar would

He stood up from the bed and walked to the window, gazing out into the darkness and listening to the tread of the patrolling guards' iron boots. He stood there, waiting for the day when they would finally conclude their discussions and bring him from Noyen to Olidan, where he would continue the next inevitable wait.

Honestly, even being held hostage in Olidan's court was preferable to staying in the terrifying city of Noien. The relationship between Olidan and Noien wasn't hostile; sending him there was more about fostering friendship than serving as a warning to others. However, his plans to reach the Origin Society were thwarted, if not entirely, and there would be no way around it for several years.

On the one hand, he had promised Phils, but now he was going to break his promise. On the other hand, the other Ajeh's hungry mouth and eyes were always hiding in the darkness, watching him... Although she had been relatively well-behaved recently, Cesar couldn't tell how long she could remain so.

Ultimately, he didn't think there was a better place to handle this problem besides the Origin Society's base. Mages who could establish territories within the sight of various kingdoms were undoubtedly more capable and knowledgeable than the nobles' domestic mages.

Of course, Cesar also heard the rumors about the Hier Temple. It said that the mercenary guards of the Grand Temple discovered that a wizard had offended the temple, so they subdued him with the weapons of the Northern Empire. The scene looked like a person was thrown into a coal stove, and the whole body was burned to charcoal ash, but the clothes were intact.

The secret stone's lethality against mages was so strong. This was what surprised Cesar the most, because Phils handled the ornament as if it were a hot potato. Apart from expressing discomfort, she didn't react at all.

Maybe there is some secret, but he can't explain it clearly.

Cesar, lost in thought while waking up at night, looked out the window and gradually felt himself sinking, as if a dark swamp had emerged beneath his feet. He couldn't tell if it was an illusion or a real threat, because he wasn't actually sinking.

But in this world where the real order is fragile, who can guarantee that it is just an illusion?

Cesar turned around, put his arms around the little witch who was walking quietly towards the bathtub, held her carefully in front of him, and leaned over to smell her scent.

"Every time I walk over there quietly, you grab me," Fields muttered.

"Why do you think that is?"

"Because you're a dog too, you came here because of someone else's scent," she complained, and when Cesar knelt down and kissed the sweaty side of her neck and throat, she couldn't help but breathe warm air into his ear.

"It's easy enough," Cesar whispered. "Just take a shower before you go to bed to wash away the smell."

She stared at him with a dark look in her eyes. "I think I should put a can of salt in your mouth before bed, so that you don't lick it from me again."

"It will help me recover from these horrible hallucinations."

"You always say that. I'm not a placebo."

Chapter 99 You two have a lot in common

"That's just a small part." Cesar said. He was about to move closer when Phils put her arms around his head and rested her chin on top of his head, blocking his face and vision. So he put his arms around her waist and lifted her up, and immediately heard a scream.

She was truly light, not only weightless to hold, but also ghostly, her gait and posture lithe, her skin a pale white never seen in the sun, her cheeks a shadowy hue, her eyes rimmed with dark circles, framed by cascading hair. Lately, as they'd become more familiar, her interest in sex had dwindled, while she'd been spending more and more time inside, studying the truth. It was almost like the reverse of the beginning.

It felt strange, as if she had been merely curious at first, and now that the experience of satisfying that curiosity was over, it was no longer worth competing with her years of intellectual curiosity. But the more she tried to escape into the pile of books, the more Cesar wanted to catch her out and make her remember how she had bitten herself with such pleasure.

After carrying Firth to the wall and pressing her tightly against the tapestry, he kissed her again, this time more intently, from her chest to her stomach. Her hairband had fallen off, because she had just gotten up to go to the bathroom and hadn't tied it tightly; her coat had also fallen off because her head and body were leaning back, as if someone was pulling her hair; and of course her hair had fallen down and was scattered everywhere.

Cesar reached out and stroked the hair on her shoulders, stroking her tapering back until his fingers rested on the inward curve of her waist. Her hair fell like a stream, tapering to her tailbone, the ends slightly curled up, just enough to be caught between his fingers and tickle her waist like feathers.

"You're acting like an irrational savage today." She finally caught her breath.

"Maybe it's because I'm worried about losing something." Cesar said casually, "I'm thinking about how to trick you into going to Olidan with me."

"Why is it a lie? Can't you think of a good reason?"

"I just can't think of one," he said. "You know I know nothing about mages."

"So what are you doing? Trying to trick me away with that thing of yours? Well, I have to tell you, loving someone and loving their thing are definitely not the same thing."

"That makes some sense," Cesar said. He watched her gradually fall in his arms until her lower abdomen landed on him.

on.

Phils lowered her head, then raised her eyes with intertwined eyelashes. The silent gaze lasted only a moment, and her soft breasts were flattened against him as she hugged him. Her skin was stained with sweat, and there was a damp mist, and beads of sweat glistened in the ravines. She was in his arms.

She controlled his movements, grabbed his back with her fingers, bent her legs and wrapped them around his waist, and fastened her ankles to his belt.

The warmth of her body made him confused, and her heartbeat and pulse seemed to have a wonderful rhythm that made Cesar feel her contradiction and uneasiness in the face of love.

Lately, Fils had been reflecting on her nightly addiction, unable to stop herself from becoming completely carried away by the pleasure. Just as she had been complaining a moment ago, she now explored his lips, and soon, her wet little tongue dripping with saliva emerged from his mouth. Her skin gradually became stained with a thin layer of sweat, which rubbed against their chests, smearing them both, making them sticky and slippery, making him feel like he was actually holding a slippery, writhing snake in his arms.

The moon drifted outside the window, casting a shimmer on her skin. Outside, she could faintly hear the heavy footsteps of patrolling guards. Tonight, these were distinguished guests, so patrols would be ongoing all night. They worked hard, yet they restrained themselves from making any sound. Her legs gradually arched, her calves tensing more and more, until she finally covered her mouth with her hands, a muffled echo coming from between her fingers.

Cesar held her and fell back to the head of the bed.

"You're being particularly nasty today," Fields said after a while.

He took the wine the Olidan had brought from their place, poured a large glass, and slumped against the head of the bed. She came over and took a sip, looking satisfied, and slumped back, sitting on his lap. "Well," he said, "how about a bedtime story?"

"I'm not a child and I don't need a bedtime story," she declared.

"I'm talking about the story we were talking about yesterday." He hugged her slender shoulders and rubbed them gently.

"You mean those rumors about Olidan you heard?" Firth muttered, her gloomy gaze drifting towards him. "You're really good at making preparations. If only you could have made some preparations for the Origin Society earlier."

"Maybe I'm trying to pique your interest," Cesar shrugged. "I think if I tell you enough about myself, I'll find something that interests you."

"Anyway, I didn't hear anything interesting yesterday."

"Firs said, sipping the wine glass she held again, then leaning against him, her ear pressed against his chest. She always listened to his voice this way when he told her stories at night, as if this way she wasn't listening to the sound coming from his throat like other people, but rather the sound of his voice coming from within. She said the sound of the stories she heard this way was like blood, flowing from his heart into hers, gurgling with every word.

"Okay, today's story is about the internal divisions within the Origin Society and the factions that were forced to join the various kingdoms. Let's start with Auridan..."

"I've heard a strong sense of purpose in your story," Fils muttered, holding her wine glass. "And I guess you only know about Olidan, and you just heard about it."

"Then I can leave the rest of the story for later. I'll continue after I've found out about the others. Anyway, the story is this: the faction currently leaning towards Olidan is actually a branch of an even older school. At some point in the past, this school split for various reasons, and one side became what we all know today as the Overa School."

"Is this something you can just find out casually?"

"Grand Duke Urbino of Olydan knows a lot, some of which he doesn't mind spreading... I mean, spreading with a purpose. Of course, when it comes to this rumor, it's actually his family matter. In his youth, Urbino was also a famous general on the battlefield. Later, he fell in love with a battle mage, and then..."

"I don't like you to over-romanticize your story," said Firth.

Cesar's eyes widened. "Is that overly romantic? Fine, if you say so, then so be it. Let me put it this way: for political purposes and his own reputation, Urbino took on the responsibility of arranging the marriage. So, under the auspices of the Kingdom of Olidan and his family, he married Yestren, a mage born to dedicate himself to his faction."

"That sounds much better," Firth nodded. "It would be more realistic if this Duke of Urbino was always looking for lovers. I hear you two have a lot in common. Isn't it a pity you met too late?"

"I don't know. Uh, that's his private matter," Cesar muttered, stroking her smooth arm. "Anyway, the marriage went smoothly, and both sides were prepared to sacrifice their love. They later had a child, born to carry both Yestren's legacy and the power, status, and responsibilities of Grand Duke Urbino. Because of this relationship, Urbino knew many rumors about Yestren, and it was precisely this divisive history that had led to their difficult situation within the Origin Society."

"I can certainly imagine that. So is that how the Overa School came about?"

"I can't explain it clearly, so I can only tell you some stories mixed with conjecture and inference. It all starts with a wizard: In that era, the last unified empire had just collapsed, and the newly born kingdoms were all fighting each other. The various schools of magic that emerged from the recently destroyed land had not yet been besieged, and their attitude towards the secular world was far more cruel than it is today.

. "

"I want to add," said Firth, "the magic schools of the past were particularly cruel because their origins can be traced back to the Kuna people's shamanic rituals—an ancient empire where human sacrifice and human sacrifice were particularly prosperous. Today's magic schools are particularly cruel because their origins can be traced back to the Kuna people's shamanic rituals—an ancient empire where human sacrifice and human sacrifice were particularly prosperous.

The factions are considered different branches of the Kuna Shamanic Cult, but the various kingdoms are actually tribes surrounding the empire. Whenever they encounter a Kuna cult, they are forced to sacrifice a large number of their people to their ceremonial sites. In short, well... their inverse attack on the School of Magic may also have historical reasons.

"That fills in some gaps for me," Cesar said thoughtfully. "In Urbino's story, the split of the Yestren School and the origin of the Orvera School actually came from a wizard who ran away with the school's true knowledge. It is said that man is still alive."

Chapter 100 Her Genius Behavior

"So you found out about the man whose true identity no one knows?" Fields asked him.

Cesar had to admit that he didn't have any. "I only know that he was the ancestor of Urbino's wife and children, and perhaps even a blood relative."

"I don't care about these rumors of connections. If they have nothing to do with that person, forget it. So what happened to the Yesterlen School?"

"Well, here's what happened: Olidan's plan was simple: to follow the example of the Kasar Empire and the Orvera School and make the Yestren School a magical faction solely serving the imperial court. However, the mages had different ideas. Their envoys came to Olidan and visited many places. At first, Olidan thought they were trying to build relationships with the nobles and lay the groundwork for future connections. But after the envoys returned to the school, discussed the matter, and sent letters, Olidan discovered that things were not going as they imagined."

"It sounds like they don't want to be court mages?"

"The Yestlen School has set its sights on the University of Denton in Olidan. The mages agreed to move to Olidan, taking all their knowledge and manpower with them, but they want to emulate the University of Denton rather than become court mages like the Overa School."

“I didn’t quite understand what college was,” Fils said.

"This matter is very complicated, but for the Yesterlen School, their demands are not complicated. Do you know what their envoys saw when they came to the capital of Olidan?"

"Don't keep me in suspense." She muttered and curled up.

"At the time, a collective brawl broke out between students at Denton University and the locals, resulting in numerous deaths. It began with the gathering of aristocratic sons from various regions, bored and bored, leading to a drinking binge. One of them, intoxicated, grabbed a famously beautiful tavern girl as she passed by one of the students. One of the students grabbed her waist and kissed her on the lips, his wine-soaked lips. The drinking buddies at the capital's taverns, who always looked down on the rural nobility, were enraged and engaged in a brawl with the university students. It wasn't long before a brawl erupted. They overturned tables, chairs, and wine barrels, spilling broken pottery jars and wine everywhere. Knives were then used, and blood was drawn."

"I still don't understand why this would affect the thinking of the Yestren school."

"Because if you're willing to investigate, you can uncover a lot from this incident," Cesar said, continuing to recount the story. "Then the fight escalated, and the reason was simple. The residents of the capital have always disliked the students of Denton University, viewing them as a gang of idle aristocratic children from all over Olidan. So what exactly influenced the Yestren School's thinking? They discovered that Denton University, located in the suburbs, separated itself from the capital by a boundary, and in many ways, the two sides did not interfere with each other."

"Like two kingdoms?"

"It's really like two kingdoms. The University of Denton has the protection of the church and a royal charter. It controls its own property and taxes, and its students and faculty enjoy judicial immunity. People there can ignore most of the laws of the capital and only follow the laws made by the university itself. As a result, residents often see students causing trouble in the city but are powerless to do anything about it."

"From the residents' perspective, it's a disaster," Fils said. "So, the Yestren School thinks that instead of becoming court mages and enjoying royal privileges, why not emulate Denton University and establish a semi-independent organization?"

"Denton University sends its graduates to the Kingdom of Olidan, but professors can continue to work on their own projects at the university. I guess the Yesterlen School thinks the same way—they send trained mages to the court, while their own trustworthy people conduct research on the land they own."

"It's not impossible to imagine," Firth agreed. "Being a court mage has greater privileges, but there are also more things to do and more orders to follow. Sometimes, it's really not as good as a relatively free autonomous group."

"I heard they've reached a preliminary agreement and are now negotiating the specific terms and conditions. If we go over there, we might be able to catch up."

"I don't know, but the schools that are migrating and seeking transformation may be easier to contact than those who are still staying in the tower."

"It seems you agree to put your plan of going to the Origin Society on hold."

"This has something to do with your roundabout way of speaking."

"Being roundabout is my specialty," Cesar shrugged. "Besides, if I'm too direct, I'm afraid you'll reject me even more directly."

Phils absentmindedly cracked his fingers, muttering to herself as she did so.

"Who made you agree like you were making a solemn oath...

At least now I know that the so-called vows and promises are all bullshit."

"This shows that you deeply recognize what I have actually done. Otherwise, I would have only been able to communicate with you through letters in the past few years," Cesar defended.

“I think this is just like your lies

"It has more to do with the art being particularly beautiful," said Phils. She dropped his hand, draped in the sheets, and stood by the window, pouring herself another glass of wine. She looked silvery in the moonlight, her hair shattered, like ice on the coast—not glaciers, but broken icicles. Cesar always felt that he couldn't hold her for long. She would melt, float away, slip from his grasp without him noticing.

"What are you looking at?" he asked.

“What’s the difference between studying the Olidans and the Dominicans?” she said.

"I think you should study the differences between humans in this world and humans in another world," Cesar said.

Fils pulled the sheet with her hands, placed the glass on the wooden table, and carefully poured the wine. "Then I can only study you?" she asked.

"What's wrong with that?" Cesar asked. "Your cherished research goal is nowhere to be found, but you just happened to get the only one."

"Everyone is unique in this world," said Fields.

"What's wrong with anyone being the only one in the world?"

"The only one is everywhere, which means that the only one is something that is everywhere and is not worth caring about at all. It's the same for me and you. Anyway, don't move me with those old-fashioned sad stories. My heart doesn't bleed, and I won't cry." She insisted.

"Well, then, let's drink to your heart that sheds no blood and no tears." Cesar stood up and walked over, completely naked and not wrapped in a sheet like her. "But why wouldn't you?" he asked again.

“Maybe if people have nothing, they are not afraid of losing anything.”

"That's what you were thinking when you threw the Ritual Stone to me? You didn't care where I threw it?"

"What's wrong with that?" Fils drank the wine in her glass. "You just want this and that, and you end up being trapped. This is a cage you built for yourself. As for me, I've had nothing for many years, so I'm not afraid of anything."

"what about now?"

Cesar took her hand and placed it on his lips, touching her slender fingertips. This was certainly not a kiss between lovers, but something more solemn.

Phils grunted and fell silent.

......

"I don't know what this Ferriers is doing." The man in the bottle watched the military formations through the hazy morning mist. "I don't care what their final outcome will be, nor do I care if this is a repeat of history. But her genius has offended my efforts. I pulled her back from the lost history, not to admire her."

"Master?" Corini turned her head away from the dressing mirror. "Father? Why are you paying attention to someone who will be leaving soon?"

"Because Ferriers has proven herself capable of extraordinary things." The figure in the bottle seemed to express regret. "The Overa School is proof of her ability," it explained. "Even a fragment of hers should possess her former qualities and abilities, and have a profound impact. If I hadn't promised her not to interfere, I really would..."

"Do you care about your promise, father?"

"Of course I care. Even if I didn't, our agreement involves that uncrossable gate. No one can disobey... at least not until the time comes."

Chapter 101 I Found Something Good

......

"To His Majesty the Holy King Evered IV, Ruler of Auridan

The negotiations in Noyen concluded successfully at the end of the year, and the alliance was signed. The Sassulai will dispatch their first caravan and envoys by the middle of next year. The majority of the conscripted troops have been dismissed within their service period and returned to their respective territories, with no pay required for any additional service. However, I have retained a number of troops to quell the rebellion in the central region. These troops will accompany Count Thane's only son to support Gonzales and alleviate the situation there.

I heard that Dominic has sent a group of people to Gonzales on the pretext that the rebel army has occupied the villages under its jurisdiction. Most of them are young officers from the military academy. I think they want to train their troops in Gonzales and deter us.