ALL NOVEL Chapter 87 (S2) : The Brink of Catastrophe
Currently, Princess Ivy and her entourage are on their way home after meeting with the White Goddess at the Great Castle of Azaroth. Princess Ivy's convoy is quite long and heavily guarded, as many nobles are also part of the group, and of course, the convoy is under high-level security.
Princess Ivy and several of her subordinates are seated inside a luxurious carriage. Since meeting the White Goddess, Princess Ivy’s expression has changed significantly. Her face is pale, reflecting the deep internal turmoil within her, as if the weight of the world has been placed on her shoulders.
The sound of the carriage wheels can still be faintly heard, despite the soundproofed interior.
“Ivy-sama, are you alright?” Ellie asked.
Ellie is Princess Ivy's trusted secretary and her right-hand woman. She was not chosen for her strength but for her exceptional skills in administration and management.
Naturally, Ellie is very concerned about Princess Ivy's condition. At her young age, Princess Ivy already bears many burdens, both as the Princess of the Empire and as a strong candidate for the throne. What drives Princess Ivy's desire for the throne is her deep love for the Igrasian Empire.
“I... I'm... fine,” Princess Ivy replied.
“Ivy-sama, you should rest. I'm afraid you'll fall ill,” Clara said.
“There’s no need to worry about my health, Clara.”
What made Princess Ivy so pale was her constant reflection on her actions during the meeting with the White Goddess.
(Have I done the right thing?)
(Have I made a mistake?)
(Have I invited a global catastrophe?)
(Or have I made a deal with a wicked goddess?)
(Is this the best course of action?)
These questions kept swirling in Princess Ivy’s mind, leaving her pale and giving her a headache. Her hands clenched tightly around the carriage seat.
(The White Goddess said she could wipe the Igrasian Empire off the map, and judging by her subordinates who emanated terrifying auras, she seemed serious.)
Princess Ivy then gazed at her subordinates with a vacant look, as if entering a phase of extreme stress.
"Hey... Do you think my actions earlier were right?"
A look of pity crossed the faces of Ellie, Rufus, and Clara. They deeply sympathized with Princess Ivy, seeing her so stressed and troubled.
“Ivy-sama, this is the fifth time you’ve asked that. In my opinion, you’ve done the best you could in that negotiation,” Ellie replied.
“Yes, at least we’ve gained the support of a great power from now on, and the emissary from the White Goddess is also in the carriage behind us,” Rufus added.
“If we face a confrontation with Prince Philips, we are certain to win. Our support isn’t from a mere nation but from a Goddess. Historically, any nation supported by a Goddess has never fallen,” Clara said.
“No mortal power could ever stand against the might of a Goddess,” Clara added.
Their responses helped Princess Ivy calm down.
“Thank you... I'm grateful I did my best,” Princess Ivy said.
“Then... What do you think of the White Goddess?” Princess Ivy asked.
“The White Goddess, huh? To someone as weak as me, she’s a Goddess with absolute power,” Ellie replied.
“To me, the White Goddess is the reincarnation of true strength,” Rufus said.
“At least she’s better than the Lunarian Goddess. I despise the Lunarian religious bishops because they are so fanatical,” Clara remarked.
"Well... I don't know why, but I see the White Goddess as a terrifying figure. I feel that she will become a dreadful presence in this world,"
"That's true..." Ellie replied.
Suddenly, Princess Ivy's expression turned to one of shock as she recalled something.
"WAIT! Ellie! Do you remember the descent of the Lunarian Goddess during the war between the Lunarian Theocracy and the Navian Empire hundreds of years ago?" Princess Ivy said in a panicked tone.
Ellie also understood the implication of Princess Ivy's words, and her expression turned pale.
"If I'm not mistaken, the Lunarian Goddess and her angelic forces can only descend to the world for a short time, and they disappear immediately after the war ends. If the White Goddess is on the same level as the Lunarian Goddess, then..."
Rufus and Clara's expressions also turned to shock as they realized the gravity of the situation.
"Indeed... We have invited a global catastrophe..." Princess Ivy said.
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"This world will be further destroyed if that bastard Alice Vasilissa is ambitious enough to dominate and bring the world under her control."
The Lunarian Goddess was currently seated on an opulent sofa, radiating an aura of immortality. Surrounding her was an endless, empty white space illuminated by soft, pulsating light, as if the room were breathing.
In front of the Lunarian Goddess was a large virtual screen displaying flashes of events from around the world. However, there were dark corners that could not be seen, such as the Great Castle of Azaroth and the palace of the Demon Lord Astaroth; both locations appeared shrouded in mysterious power.
"Although I will not interfere in worldly matters, I will annihilate threats that come from outside this world."
"Cursed be the heavenly rules that bind me from descending into the world!"
"Even if someone intends to dominate the world and they originate from this world, I cannot interfere because of these rules."
"As a Goddess, my limitations are torturous. Every time the world is threatened, every time my children cry out my name, I can only watch. But now, I can only wait until the heavenly rules allow me to descend into the world."
The Lunarian Goddess smirked as she sat sideways on her sofa, one hand resting on her chin while her other fingers tapped slowly. Her narrowed gaze focused on the screen displaying footage of the Blue Blood Team being toyed with by Alice Vasilissa.
"I have bestowed many blessings upon the Lunarian Theocracy, and I hope you are destroyed by my children."
"ALICE VASILISSA!!! YOU ARE SO LUCKY THAT I AM A GODDESS, AND GODDESSES CANNOT INTERFERE IN WORLDLY AFFAIRS!! BUT I HAVE PREPARED A WEAPON THAT WILL TURN YOU TO ASH HAHAHAHA!!!!!!"
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Meeting Room, Poxi Cult Headquarters, Unknown Location, a Few Months Earlier.
This meeting was attended by the nine high-ranking officials of the cult, known as the holders of the cult's leadership seats. Currently, there are ten seats, but only nine are present, as the holder of the seventh seat was killed by Alicia during the incident in Arclens City.
The atmosphere in the room was quite dark, with large candles serving as the primary light source illuminating the round meeting table, which featured the Poxi Cult logo at its center. There were also several luxurious ornaments mounted on the walls.
"Alright, this is an emergency meeting due to a very dangerous threat in the Igrasian Empire," said the holder of the sixth seat.
"Oh, are we only gathering because the holder of the seventh seat died in a single attack? That's very funny, haha," said the holder of the third seat, a cynical smile spreading across his lips, his eyes squinting in disdain. His raspy laughter echoed in the cold room.
The holder of the fourth seat snorted, his gaze sharp as a dagger. "Do not underestimate, I don’t know why the holder of the third seat is always so foolish."
"What did you say!?" The holder of the third seat stood up with a sharp motion, his chair screeching against the marble floor, the loud noise slicing through the room.
"I agree with this meeting because the holder of the seventh seat, someone with the strongest defense, was killed in a single strike by someone, even having to use a God Item to escape," said the holder of the second seat.
"Yes, I witnessed it myself; that creature was equipped with unknown armor and was able to kill the holder of the seventh seat in one blow," said the holder of the sixth seat.
"Even the holder of the first seat wouldn't be able to kill the seventh seat holder in one strike, would they?"
"And, according to reports, all our bases in the territory of Marquess Reinhard have been occupied by the enemy, and many of our members have become victims," said the holder of the eighth seat.
The room then erupted into chaos as each holder began to debate one another regarding the incident in Arclens City.
Suddenly, a low, heavy voice cut through the debate, freezing every tongue in the room. "Enough."
The holder of the first seat, the figure sitting at the end of the table, spoke with a deadly calmness. All eyes were on him—not out of respect, but out of fear. Every word that left his lips was an unarguable command.
"Prevention is better than cure, isn't it? That is a saying I often hear."
"This meeting is not for foolish debates. The seventh seat holder is dead, and we could be next."
The words of the first seat holder silenced the room for a moment, tension hanging in the air.
"Seraphim Predator," said the first seat holder, piercing his gaze at the third seat holder.
"I order you to lead the cult's elites, along with the cult masters, to attack the twelve enemy bases in the territory of Marquess Reinhard. I will give you until the end of the year; this attack is not aimed at reclaiming the bases, but at assessing their strength."
Seraphim Predator is the title given to the third seat holder, due to his excessively cruel and brutal actions against anyone, even the seraphim who inadvertently descended to Earth became his victims.
"Very well..." said the third seat holder, also known as Seraphim Predator.