263 Reception Room
Sigh, I still messed up in the end…
Nizemar sat in the reception room, her heart heavy with frustration as she sighed.
She had been warned by William not to act impulsively, but her emotions had gotten the best of her and she had caused a scene.
If she had ruined William’s plans, she knew she would never forgive herself.
She gazed around the elegantly decorated room, her neck stiff from tension.
Other than not having any woodwork, the room was a showcase of the latest fashion in Platinum City, but the fact that it was popular in Emerald Province was surprising. After all, as the economic and cultural center of the Riel Empire, Platinum City had always been at the forefront of the continent’s fashion. It was the epitome of high society
However, for this to be popular in Emerald Province exceeded her imagination. This kingdom, steeped in ancient traditions for thousands of years, was not likely to follow the latest trends.
The elegant marble-carved stone table, the delicate porcelain, and the sweetly scented fruit tea—Nizemar could have mistaken the room for a high-end hotel in Platinum City, if not for the presence of the two guards at the door. Forest Elves with skin as rough as tree bark, standing guard like sentinels.
With this in mind, Nizemar said to the two guards guarding the door, “Speaking of which… you two.”
The two of them looked at her nervously.
“Do you need our assistance?” one of them asked carefully.
Of course, they didn’t dare to be negligent, aware of her reputation as a fierce warrior who had defeated more than ten Wild Hunt warriors and two forest druids. Even the tree spirit in the Canopy Temple had been forced to bow to her power and allow her to leave.
“No,” Nizemar replied, “but I would like you to guard the outside instead.”
The brown-skinned and green-haired Forest Elves reminded her of the so-called Holy Communion ritual at the altar which made her feel physiologically disgusted.
“But our orders are…” one of the guards said hesitantly.
“To watch us? To put it bluntly, if I really want to leave, I can’t be stopped even if you have ten times the number of people. Do you understand?” Nizemar interrupted the other party.
Although it sounded arrogant, what she said was the obvious truth.
A month ago, Nizemar had already been through intense training, utilizing the Dawn Fortress’s astrolabe to communicate with the Astral World and a multitude of grimoires. She broke through the Expert-level in terms of magic power and reached the Master-level. Although she was only at the Expert-level in terms of precision, her spells weren’t her only source of strength. As an executor nurtured by the Eighth Order and Holy Relic hunter, Nizemar was more like a Battle Mage who used tools like swords, crossbows, and magic to swiftly dispose of enemies. This mindset allowed her to experience a sudden increase in combat strength after breaking through her magic power upper limit.
Additionally, Nizemar carried the Sealed Magic runes and Holy Spirit figurine given to her by Holy Spirit Kane. If she encountered an unsolvable problem, she could activate the summoning and receive protection from the Holy Spirit. Nobody in Emerald Province could stop her.
However, if something so trivial were to interfere with Lord William’s important work, Nizemar would die of shame as the First Apostle under the Holy Spirit after His return.
The so-called title of First Apostle was completely self-proclaimed by this girl.
The two guards, intimidated by Nizemar’s fanatic expression, didn’t dare argue with her and retreated, closing the door behind them resentfully.
As the duo departed, the cowering girl in the corner of the room finally mustered the courage to speak.
“Sister,” she whispered, “thank you for what you did. I’ve put you in danger.”
Nizemar, who had been watching the blindfolded girl, softened at the sound of her voice. She brushed off the girl’s concerns with a wave of her hand.
“It’s nothing,” she said. “If I can’t stand up for what’s right, then I’m not a true believer of Holy Spirit Kane.”
“Sister, are you a member of the Eighth Order?” the girl asked in amazement.
Nizemar’s impressive skills could only be explained by her training as an executor of the Eighth Order.
“Just call me Nizemar,” she replied. “I’m no longer a member of the Eighth Order anymore. I’m simply a follower of Holy Spirit Kane. What about you? Who are you and why is the Holy Tree City government after you?”
“My name is Elise,” the girl whispered, “I can’t tell you my last name. My mother doesn’t allow it. As for why they’re after me, I think it’s because my mother was wanted by the empire for treason.”
Nizemar frowned and said, “If you’re wanted, why did you help that man do the magical residue appraisal?”
“Because… Because…”
Elise hesitated, wanting to tell the truth, but fearing the consequences. She had fallen into an illusion and saw the legendary Holy Spirit Kane and Frost Lich Nehe from the perspective of Astrologer Sibylla.
She took the initiative to step forward because she couldn’t distinguish illusion from reality.
But she worried that if she told Nizemar, she would be seen as a lunatic, especially since Nizemar was a devout believer of Holy Spirit Kane. The thought of offending her was too much for Elise to bear.
Nizemar saw the distress in Elise’s eyes and smirked, “You finally couldn’t take it anymore, could you? The destruction of that man’s family by the empire’s ambassador and the clergymen covering it up—that’s why you stepped up.”
“Ah… Hmm… I-I guess so…” Elise stammered.
Nizemar’s smirk widened as she said, “You’re one brave soul. Don’t worry, with your bravery, I’ll make sure those guys don’t escort you to the empire. They say Forest Elves are simple and kind, without the deceit of civilization. But in my opinion, their actions are no better than those ruthless nobles.
With that said, Nizemar suddenly thought of something. She smiled and continued, “Hah, they don’t let go of anything once their jaws are on it, even bones. They’re even more detestable. Hahahahaha…”
Nizemar chuckled, but her joke brought up memories of cannibalism for Elise. The young woman’s face went pale and she retched.
This made Nizemar, who was originally just joking to ease the atmosphere, very embarrassed. She hurriedly got up and pressed her palm against the other party’s back, using healing spells to ease the other party’s chaotic breathing.
After a while, Nizemar continued asking, “But speaking of which, how did you sense the faint residue of undead magic on that corpse? Even with the help of an item, I had to widen my eyes for a long time to see the residue that wasn’t wider than a strand of hair.”
“I can see…” Elise pointed at her eyes and was about to explain when the reception room was suddenly pushed open.
It was the two guards from before.
Nizemar turned around in anger. Just as she was about to say something, the other party spoke first.
“Ladies, prepare yourselves. The Holy Tree Duke will be here in five minutes.”
The other party’s words made Nizemar panic.
Meeting the Holy Tree Duke was the final task in their plan, as revealed by William.
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