What did you do with the dice?

Rusalka: "So, do you have anything to do tonight?"

Phoenix: “No.”

Rusalka: "Then come to the library after 9 o'clock and play a kingdom sandbox with me."

Phoenix's ears twitched, as if she was thinking for a moment, but it didn't take too long, and she didn't show any expression. She just nodded lightly in agreement, and then asked, "Anything else?"

Rusalka was a little confused, so she replied subconsciously: "No, can you go back and prepare first? Look at the rules or something?"

Phoenix nodded slightly: "Then I'll take my leave."

After Phoenix finished speaking, she didn't even act anymore. She let her figure be swallowed by the black fog and disappeared on the spot. She entered the shadow plane openly to fish.

She didn't even ask, but it seemed like she could play the kingdom sandbox too, which made Rusalka very happy. This was called a common interest.

Common interests are undoubtedly the most important factor in the development of a relationship, and he feels that he has already achieved it.

There is just one small doubt.

Rusalka: (I don't understand. Why? Is this some kind of reading comprehension question on a Chinese language test? What's the purpose of asking different words? Can they be replaced? I feel like there's no difference between what you said and what I said, so why did she agree the third time? Is she a cat who won't let you do something three times? Will she definitely agree the third time?)

Sanita: (I can't explain this to you, so you should figure it out on your own. I'm going back to study the sandbox. By the way, I'll be on your team tonight to see how good Phoenix is. I hope she's better than the maid, or at least on par with me. That would be fun.)

Rusalka: (Eh? Shouldn't it be me and Cat? By the way, I have a pun here, so my team can also be a couple.)

Sunita didn't bother to complain about the idiot next to him, whose EQ was probably only 5: (Uh, then why don't you just let Phoenix play with me? You can't use magic, and you're not good at it, so what's the point? Why don't you just stay with me? I can cooperate and pretend you're helping make decisions, so you don't seem so useless.)

Rusalka gritted his teeth. He wanted to retort, but in the end he said nothing.

Because brother is right.

Chapter 54 On the right track

It cannot be said that Phoenix does not know how to play, it can only be said that she is quite strong. When Sunita and Rusalka are combined, well, actually it is just that when Sunita alone fights against her, she finally defeats them with a slight advantage.

"I lost, thank you." Sanitita accepted the defeat calmly.

Phoenix's tail wagged, and her pupils, which had been slightly narrowed due to her staring at the table, reopened. Her face was slightly flushed, and it was obvious that she was in a good mood.

Perhaps the Kingdom Sandbox was one of her few hobbies. Meeting a formidable foe like Sanita was truly a joy. She uttered something rare that seemed to unlock a new favorability language pack for Rusalka: "Your Excellency the Mage is also very strong."

"What about me?" Rusalka asked.

Phoenix looked at Rusalka, her ears twitching. This time she thought for a full ten seconds before she said, "It's useless."

Rusalka might not be as good as the other two at this game, but when it comes to talking tough, saying he's as good as two is an understatement: "Huh? What do you mean useless? If Sanita and I hadn't spent the entire afternoon negotiating with the president of the Doug Chamber of Commerce next door, exhausting ourselves with the contract and causing brain overload, plus we were playing a 4-hour expansion and weren't too familiar with the module, we wouldn't have been able to ignore this final game and lose points.

"Phoenix, let's put ourselves in his shoes. Put aside the differences between our identities and, speaking purely from a player's perspective, let's analyze the play I directed at Sunny Tower. Wasn't that jump point reasonable? Anyone else would have played the same way. You have to admit that there was just some bad luck involved. I was on the fifth floor, and I predicted your second floor, but you only thought about the first floor, which is why you stole my point."

Phoenix tilted her head and gave Rusalka a look that said nothing. That look was very familiar. It was the same look she gave her the first time Rusalka asked her to praise herself.

After being killed in the middle of the night, Rusalka was in trouble.

Sanita: (Brother, stop asking. It’s impolite to ask again.)

Rusalka: (I refuse to accept this. No, Phoenix is ​​not allowed to leave tonight. She must either explain herself or play with me again.)

Sanita: (Brother, we must be able to afford to lose.)

Rusalka: (I’m not too embarrassed to lose. How can I not be too embarrassed to lose?)

Rusalka: "No, Phoenix, you come with me again. This time, Sanita will obey my command and I will personally take action."

Phoenix nodded.

Normally, a short-process module takes 1 hour.

After 20 minutes, Phoenix was wagging its tail, and its hands had left the magic runes under the table.

Meanwhile, Sanita used the PL channel to kindly remind Rusalka, who had already assumed a "Commander Yodo" pose, seemingly contemplating a crucial decision, but was actually completely at a loss: (Brother, forget it. It's hopeless. Surrendering now would only mean half the loss.)

Rusalka: (Although the situation isn't good, my cavalry... uh... my sentry towers... uh... technology... uh... agriculture... uh... well, I'm embarrassed to say this, so please help me tactfully admit defeat and let Phoenix take another shot.)

Sani Tieta: (Forget it, Brother Xiao, it won’t be that serious. Let’s all go back to sleep. I’ll review and analyze it for you tomorrow. Eat the rice one bite at a time, and the dishes...)

Rusalka: (Eat it one bite at a time too?)

Sanita: (Ah no, you're a noob, you have to admit it. So, promise me, you'll beat the maid first, then challenge me, and finally Phoenix, okay?)

Rusalka: (Uh, I'm not willing to accept this...)

In short, Rusalka finally admitted defeat politely. Phoenix nodded slightly to him to express her gratitude, and then went into the shadow plane to rest.

----

The severe winter in the other world came very suddenly. Rusalka and Sanita, because of their hero units, could basically not feel the temperature change. It was not until the light snow fell from the sky and they saw the maids' clothes and skirts became thicker that they realized that winter had arrived.

This world has no northern or southern hemisphere. Once winter comes, the whole world is in winter. Sometimes, Sanita even suspects that this world is not a circle, but like an RPG map, with real boundary lines.

Even in winter, the divine council will be held. Today, Saint Theresa is wearing a kimono with white and light blue interlaced, and she looks as beautiful as a snow maiden.

Animals hibernate in winter, and humans become lazy in winter, just like Rusalka's state today. Even her comments seem very perfunctory.

Rusalka's review today: (The legs are very white, but it's a pity that they are not wearing white silk, so they are not white enough.)

No one has anything to share today. After all, winter is not a suitable season for marching and fighting. Even the sea creatures living on the seabed and not afraid of the cold are worried about the "dryness" in winter, so they have no desire to continue expanding.

Saint Theresa remains as active as ever, and especially during this period, she began to develop a curiosity about "Rusalka".

Theresa: "Gemini, your Lord of the Pearl Tear is very powerful, right?"

Rusalka was very proud of the compliment: "Probably, he is a very reliable person."

Sunita: (The Internet is so fake, even you think you are reliable?)

Rusalka: (Don't argue, don't argue. I think it should be above the average level.)

Theresa nodded. "Then after our cooperation is over, why don't you let him follow me? I heard that he is actually a naturally awakened paladin, right? I can arrange an identity for him at any time."

Rusalka admitted that he hesitated. Since this gigolo was delivered to his doorstep, it wouldn't be impossible, right?

Thanks to Sanitta's words to remind him to be careful of the language trap, he listened to Sanitta's words and replied in time: "Then I have no say. At that time, it will depend on his personal opinion."

Theresa uttered an "oh," then asked, "Gemini, how's the battle situation in the center?"

Rusalka: "That's fine. The Fourth Prince's army is very strong, and winter has already arrived. Things in the central region will have to be put on hold. I'm not in a hurry anyway."

Theresa: "That's right. Fighting in winter is very inconvenient, Gemini. Why don't you take this opportunity to come to Esdi and meet me?"

Rusalka: "No, that would be too conspicuous."

Theresa showed Rusalka a slightly shy expression and gently pulled the hem of her clothes: "Then how about I wear this in real life and show you?"

[Saving attempt successful.] A notification popped up in the corner of Rusalka's vision.

Rusalka and Sanitta knew last time that the Saint had some kind of mental interference skill that could ignore the black fog, but they had no idea what the specific effect of the skill was, which made Rusalka very excited.

He had thought about the skills in the notebook before, but Sanitieta said, "Don't dream."

According to his guess, Saint Theresa's skill is probably some kind of "friendship skill", and the effect is estimated to be long-term. Once you are infected, you will unknowingly develop a sense of closeness and trust in her.

There is a kind of beauty of Yuji Itadori.

Rusalka: (It’s over, brother, I feel like I’ve been tricked. I really thought she was my wife. What should I do?)

Sanita: (Don't worry, brother. You didn't get caught because you failed the immunity test. It's because your brain was never healed at birth.)

Rusalka admitted that he was indeed moved, but people can become very "unfathomable" across the Internet. Just as ten thousand "yes" flashed through his mind, but his behavior was to cross his chest, sneer, and look very disdainful.

Seeing this, the surrounding black fog couldn't help but burst into laughter, especially Taurus, who directly teased: "It seems that the Saint Lady's seduction has completely failed. Gemini is going after the goddess, and the Saint Lady is no longer in his eyes."

Aquarius covered his mouth and laughed: "It's hard to say, maybe Gemini prefers someone like me?"

Pisces: "Is it possible that the person is attracted to the same sex?"

Faced with Pisces's doubts, Rusalka, who had been silent until then, felt she had to speak up and clarify herself: "Absolutely not."

Saint Theresa stuck out her tongue and acted cute: "Oh~ Failed~ It seems that Geminis are very determined~"

Theresa seemed to be the type who would become more excited the more you rejected her. Not only did she not feel offended, but there was even a hint of interest in her eyes. However, she did not pester Rusalka on the spot, but changed the subject very flexibly, probably intending to take a long-term view.

Sanita: (That's it, you're pretending too much. She's got you. But I have a problem too. Your nonsense interrupted my thinking. When the immunity prompt popped up just now, it should have reminded me to pretend to be infected.)

Rusalka: (It doesn't matter, just talking nonsense. Could she possibly open my box and go to Sneedi next door to beat me up... Uh, wait, bro, do you think she has that ability? Does it really seem like she has? Should I apologize? Compliment her on her looks? Doesn't it make it seem like I was the one who got caught late?)

Sanita: (No way, the Cyber ​​King is scared now?)

Rusalka: (What a coward! If she dares to come over, I will beat her to her knees, take her back to the Pearl Tear Territory, and make her a star!)

Sani Tieta: (Haha, don’t forget to bring Hua Tuo with you when the time comes.)

Theresa: "Oh, by the way, there's one more thing, Gemini. Do you mind building a small church in Pearl Tear Territory to worship the God of Light?"

This question made Rusalka silent for a while, because Sanita had also thought about it for a long time. After weighing the pros and cons, he asked Rusalka a question: "Okay, but will I be responsible for the materials, manpower, design drawings, and most importantly, the funds, as well as the church pastor's salary?"

Theresa smiled. "Of course not. You just need to get Lord Pearl Tear's approval. I'll take care of everything else. Of course, there's no need for people to raise funds or convert to the cult. After all, God Light is a very tolerant god. It doesn't matter to Him whether the people He helps believe in Him or not. But for me, I have to do things that are worthy of my status, so that I can have a legitimate reason to teach. For example, I want to spread the glory of God Light to the Kingdom of Snidi."

Rusalka: "God Light is so tolerant? He doesn't even mind you secretly believing in the God of Truth?"

Theresa stuck out her tongue and said, "Of course not. To put it in the terms of us mortals, this is a serious case of two-timing, it's cheating. It's hard to forgive, right?

Of course, this is just a matter of faith in the eyes of the gods. Physically and romantically, I'm still very pure. I'm the type to be devoted to my loved ones, you know? However, I'm a saint, and according to the teachings, I can't fall in love with anyone. You all think this is unfair to me, right?

The men in the black fog more or less expressed their approval, but it seemed that they were just ordinary followers. After all, their camp was evil, and many times this kind of love was a meaningless burden to them.

It felt like the Saint said this to Rusalka on purpose, but Rusalka was one of the silent ones.

Because he looked at the new prompt that popped up in the lower right corner of his vision.

[Immunity Success]

Hey, woman.

Chapter 55 Killer

Winter is actually very cold.

This was the law of nature that Rusalka had learned from the maids who had come back from outside and were shaking the snow off their umbrellas and thick fur coats.

This is obviously common sense, but the stove in the Pearl Tears Villa has been very bright recently, and there are also heating stones that generate heat through the supply of magic power. This is probably the environment that "four seasons like spring" refers to.

Rusalka thought about doing something meaningful, such as going out for a patrol to see the progress of the construction of the new factory, or receiving the second batch of support from the Saint who was said to have arrived in Ropa Town, to see what they were doing recently and how Ono managed the town of Ropa, to exchange and learn from each other.

It is said that although the support this time consists of only one hundred people, it is a very elite force. According to the information from the "Village Entrance Professional Intelligence Network" cultivated by Sani Tieta, these one hundred people are not only equipped with a large number of heavy armor equipment, but also have twelve priests and three patriarchs.

Of course, the intelligence agent here couldn't tell the difference between the priest and the patriarch. He just said that the patriarch and the priest dressed differently and wore very conspicuous hats. After the intelligence agent described their appearance in detail, the knowledgeable Sani Tieta naturally understood who was who.

Rusalka thought that this was because the information in the victory report that the Viscount Ranger Squadron was "not very resilient" made the Saint feel that there seemed to be something promising here, so she increased her investment.

Sanitita didn't think so. The support of an elite team was still within a reasonable range. Bringing priests was acceptable because they wanted to build a church, but the combination of 15 priests, including 3 patriarchs, was definitely not for the purpose of "missionary work". This lineup could be used as the core force of a small city even in the country of Esdi.

To put it bluntly, the Viscount's White Horse Rangers would not be able to hold out for even half an hour against this lineup. If they were equipped with professional siege equipment and an infantry squad of about a few hundred people, they could even crack open the iron nutshell of Consenat City.

There is a qualitative difference between the Patriarch and the Priest. If we only look at the medical level, the Patriarch can achieve powerful healing effects such as reconnecting broken limbs. This level has reached the 5th ring in DND. Of course, it may not be so scary in reality. It is just an analogy.

If we convert the comprehensive strength into dnd level, he is no less than level 8.

With three of them dispatched at once, the accompanying protection must be no less powerful. To put it bluntly, the overall strength of this team has reached a level that can prevent Rusalka from keeping her base.

Rusalka: "Then I'll ask next month?"

Sanita: "Do you think she will tell the truth?"

Rusalka felt that what Sanitieta said made sense, and it was useless to ask. Her character was that of a big boss in the central government, and her attitude towards the Pearl Tear Territory was just a relationship that could develop and cooperate with each other. If she cared too much about the details of things here, she would appear very suspicious.

I have to say that Theresa's thoughts and personality are really hard to understand. She doesn't want to be a decent Holy Maiden of Light, and she likes to get involved in power struggles - she obviously already has power, troops and money, so why does she always think about expanding outward?

To use Rusalka’s words: How did she pass the political review back then?

Rusalka: "There's no way Theresa is going to stab me in the back, is there? If that's the case, let's take the cat and run away, embarking on an adventure that will last up to 60 years, 30 years on the east side of the river and 30 years on the west side.

By then, many people will surely envy Phoenix for being able to find a legendary paladin like me. They will wonder why they are better than Phoenix, but why I chose Phoenix. Then I will answer them like this:

If you want to be a general's wife, you must first marry the great knight Rusalka and live with him for 20 years on the border, in the forest, and in the desert. - From "The Lament of Pearly Tears Without Tears"

Sanitta made a "shut up" gesture, telling him not to think about these trivial things. The most important issue now was the letter from Arlot that he had just received.

Regardless of whether Allot's business is black, white, or gray, he is a businessman who keeps his promises. He took the initiative to divide an area between the mine and the gathering place and started construction. At the same time, he not only brought manpower and material resources, brought GDP to the Pearl Tear Territory, but also brought intelligence.

Sanitta spread the intelligence letter on the table and read it with Rusalka: "Viscount Consenat has kept the death a secret and secretly hired six assassins at great expense to avenge his second son. The assassins' names are currently unknown, but the hiring fee is estimated to be around 1000 gold coins."

Rusalka sighed, "Twelve and a half years of tax revenue from the former Pearl Tear Territory, and a small troop of cavalry, this old Deng is really rich."

Sanitieta: "This is probably the limit of his short-term liquidity. It seems he really loves his second son. The intelligence report even includes the number of assassins. It's worthy of being the Chamber of Commerce Intelligence Network."