Symphony for the Insect Princess

"Well, okay, you don't have to pay attention to me in the future, and I don't have to pay attention to you either. This is good for both you and me."

"……yeah?"

"That's it, everyone—"

"Wait wait wait wait, don't ignore me! I was wrong and shouldn't be upset!!"

"Well, this is the way to behave, Qiumila. Pat her head."

"Hehehe... I'll have to give you some tougher tasks next time! I'll let you witness the power of the Princess of Endless Darkness!"

"Of course, of course."

"Nier is indeed the best!"

I imagined myself soothing a poisonous stag beetle that was in its rage, while stroking her little head, and she hummed with comfort.

The other three—

(Coaxed...)

(That's enough to appease me...)

(I'm so envious...)

Hey, hey, don't whisper in front of me, I can hear you clearly.

"By the way, I haven't asked you yet, Ni'er, where is our next stop?"

Ah, finally someone asked this.

I raised the corners of my mouth slightly and stared straight at Asia, and she suddenly became embarrassed.

But don't get me wrong, the next destination has the greatest relationship with her.

"The next stop is the famous alchemy city - Okomi."

"..."

As expected, Asia's expression froze.

The others also looked at me in surprise.

"Please be mentally prepared this time, everyone, because... when facing an opponent of the Sage's level, 'violence' is the best way."

Seeing that they all seemed a little surprised, it was normal. After all, I have always been the one who would rather take the initiative than take action if I could wait for the opportunity, and I would never use violence to solve things that can be solved with wisdom.

But given the time constraints, I must quickly complete my business in Okomi, secure temporary admission to Mishra Academy, and qualify for the tournament. Then, I must quickly contact the "Son of God," Saint Andrew, using Levatin to gain his trust and secure special consideration during the tournament. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Saint Andrew should return to Maye in a month, so the sooner we resolve the situation in Okomi, the better.

However, the real focus is not there.

I came to Bufenia not only for Levatin—

I avoided their sight and took the thing out of the insect bin.

This small test tube was sealed by me with more than ten layers of seals.

The test tube contained a deep red liquid, which showed different levels of color under the sunlight. There were some crystalline particles mixed in it, and sparks flashed from time to time.

It is said that the smuggling channel of this liquid involves many powerful people who are among the most influential in Maya. Just a small test tube of this liquid can be sold at a sky-high price in the black market of Bufinia, and not everyone can buy it.

That's normal.

After all, this is the blood sample of Blood Emperor Ye.

It wasn't some cheap product she created out of thin air, but real blood that flowed from her body.

This is the most dangerous liquid in the world. Even with just this small tube, its power is probably comparable to the most advanced forbidden spell.

Likewise, it is the core of my plan.

I felt relieved after getting it.

Because, from this blood sample, I could truly feel the fluctuations of the thing that devours time and space - the "World Devourer".

------------------

Another passenger ship set sail.

But this time the situation was a bit strange. The young ladies on the boat booked the entire boat. Not only were other passengers not allowed to board, even the crew members were not allowed to board.

"The thoughts of today's young lady are really confusing..."

The old captain, standing stupidly on the shore, sighed, raised his pipe to his lips and took a puff.

"Hey, uncle, who were those people on the boat that just left?"

"I guess they're just a bunch of young ladies who think they have too much money... huh?"

The old captain then realized who was talking to him.

"You...who are you?"

The person was short and, judging by the voice, female. She wore a black hooded cloak, and her exposed face and arms were—surprisingly—wrapped in bandages. A pair of slightly cloudy eyes peeked out from the gaps in the facial bandages, wide and terrifying. Furthermore, the bandages gave off a pungent, medicinal smell, like antiseptic.

"They're asking you! Who are the people on that ship? You should have the basic information about the guests, right?"

The hooded and bandaged man took a step forward. Although he was obviously a head shorter than the old captain, his aura was very aggressive.

Shocked by this strange posture, the captain took several steps back before he could steady himself.

"Stop talking nonsense! They didn't leave any personal information at all, and a young man who looked like a housekeeper suddenly stuffed a bunch of money into them! It was almost like forced buying!"

"Oh~~~~Really?"

"What else do you want!"

"You didn't lie? You really didn't lie? But don't lie to the Demon King!"

"That's really all I know. It's no use asking any more questions! And there's also the devil and the like. You can't joke about that casually!"

"Uncle Qieqi, are you looking down on me? I'm a genuine demon king! To avoid causing panic among the people, the bigwigs above have completely hidden my records. How disgusting, how abominable, what a shame~~~"

"Even if you say so..."

"'The Cursed Demon King'—remember that? That's his nickname!"

He stretched out his finger and poked the old captain's chest hard, and the strange man jumped away from him and ran away like the wind.

"What's going on... Is there something wrong with this guy's brain?"

"I heard it! They said he was mentally ill and cursed your whole family to death!"

The weirdo shouted from a distance, jumped up and waved his fist.

It was clearly a very childish action, but when she did it it seemed particularly strange.

The old captain shook his head and left the dock.

As for returning home and finding that his daughter, son-in-law and grandson had all died - that's a story for later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Symphonic Poem Dedicated to Insect Princess

Volume 3, Sand of Ants, ends.

Second Volume: Bee's Edge

(In the next volume, Nier will finally be able to show her true strength...)

(But it doesn’t matter. If I encounter the monsters from the previous book, I can only run away (funny))

Title of this volume: Interlude 137 Chapter : The Injustice of a Certain Saint (I)

Holy City, Divanlunsa——

As the sun set, the rows of white buildings and churches, large and small, were bathed in a rosy glow. The orange-red afterglow of the setting sun shone through the gap between the Twin Sacred Mountains, like a needle pointing to the center of the Holy City. There, the largest temple in Divellusa, the Temple of Rion, stood. Divellusa, home to the Pantheon, was a truly holy place. Though it was called a city, its actual area was nearly the size of a small country, and it was completely independent and autonomous, uncontrolled by any major power.

The Pantheon's founding process differed from that of the Tower of Babel and the Knights' Territory. Long ago, in an era similar to the present, countless large and small magician and magic warrior guilds existed. Over the course of countless years, these guilds competed and merged, ultimately creating the two giants of Babel and the Knights' Territory.

The establishment of the Pantheon was much smoother. Maya was a world of many gods. There was the god of life, Rion, who protected all living things; the goddess of magic, Mithra, who created magic; the goddess of fertility, Ansuna, who protected agriculture and animal husbandry... the list was countless. Add to that the gods worshipped by some ethnic minorities and even other races, and the number of deities would be even greater. From ancient times to the present, temples dedicated to these countless gods have been built throughout Maya. Under the influence and advocacy of a great sage of the time, these temples gradually united, ultimately forming the Pantheon.

The Tower of Babel worships the goddess of magic, Mystra, as its primary deity, while the Knights worship the god of war, Selvetarm. While the Pantheon, though a "pantheon," has over the years subtly reduced the influence of other gods, prioritizing Leon, the god of life. Naturally, believers of other gods have always been dissatisfied with this, and factional struggles within the Pantheon have become almost a tradition.

Now, the contest between the conservatives headed by Ryan's followers and the reformists, a collective term for other factions, has broken the deadlock because of the emergence of one person.

Winnie Lebenhold.

She was initially discovered by conservatives, and after achieving numerous feats and accumulating considerable popularity, they were also chosen by them to become a saint. With the position of the sole saint secured by someone favored by the conservatives, and backed by countless lay believers, the situation was unprecedentedly unfavorable for the reformists.

The Saint, who is caught in the middle of the struggle and has no choice, is currently worried about other things.

"what……"

After taking a bath, Winnie changed into a soft bathrobe and lay down on the bed in a spread-eagle position.

The bath just now was not a cleansing with various rules before the ceremony, but just a simple shower. Even though it was a natural experience for ordinary people, it was an incredible relaxation for Winnie.

Finally, I can take a break.

After resolving the epidemic in the capital of the Kingdom of Azera and after another long journey, they finally returned to Divanlunsa. The Saint's room was located in the central shrine of Divanlunsa—the Temple of Lien, dedicated to Lien, the God of Life. Befitting her status, the interior was decorated with a sense of "luxury without extravagance." The marble floors, pristine white walls, ceiling murals, and carved glass made it a fitting abode for a Saint. However, the place lacked a sense of life, leaving a sense of rigidity.

It's more like an office than a residence.

Knock, knock, knock.

There was a knock on the door.

"Please come in."

"Excuse me, Saint Lady."

"Ah, Sister Yalduo!"

It was the Vice-Captain of the Paladins, Yaldo.

Seeing the person coming, Winnie's expression obviously relaxed.

If there were anyone in the Pantheon who truly cared about her, it would definitely be the Paladins led by Yaldur.

Paladins are a special branch of the Pantheon, responsible for both internal security and external military action. Their uniqueness lies in their ability to act not for a single deity but for the interests of the Pantheon as a whole. Because of this, they maintain a relatively neutral stance, never deliberately leaning towards conservative or progressive factions.

No faction has any major conflict of interest with them.

This is how we can achieve relative equality.

Therefore, Yaerduo did not care about factional differences and cared about Winnie from the bottom of her heart.

"Lady Saint, I..."

"Haven't I told you many times? Sister Yaerduo, just call me by my name."

"but--"

"it does not matter."

"...Oh, okay, Winnie."

Yaerduo gave a wry smile and sat down beside Winnie's bed.

Ever since Winnie entered the Pantheon, the two have had a good relationship, and to her, Winnie is like her own sister.

But it was also because of this that she could perceive Winnie's subtle emotional changes.

"Winnie, are you... okay lately?"

“…Are you okay?”

"Not good. You've been a bit down and out since leaving Azera's capital."

"..."

Winnie's eyes dropped, and seeing this, Yaerduo also sighed.

Wasn't it too much for Winnie? Even though she was a saint, she was only sixteen years old. And yet, she actually came face to face with the Mist Lord in the capital of Azera... Even though the Mist Lord only appeared before everyone, the terror he brought was incomparable to that of an ordinary powerful being.

Winnie was obviously scared and worried.

But Yaldur had no idea how to comfort her or cheer her up, and she couldn't help but feel anxious about her limited vocabulary.

"Well, Winnie, if...if you're worried about that guy Fogarte, don't worry now. Don't forget that this is Devanlensa, the headquarters of the Pantheon. He wouldn't dare come here."

"……Sure?"

“Are you sure…?”