"!"
The soft sensation caused Greg's body to move slightly. Instinctively, he wanted to open his eyes, but in the end, he held back.
He could feel that as the kiss landed, the surging power within his body began to settle, flowing smoothly like a wild river entering the sea.
He lay quietly, waiting for everything to calm down.
A moment later, he felt Nightmare's weight lighten again as she stepped off his chest.
Only then did he open his eyes and sit up. The first thing he did was check the prompt that had just popped up in his system interface.
[Acquired Divine Protection <Reign of Night>]
[Effect: Upon activation, grants 50% damage reduction from all sources at night, increases total mana capacity by 100%, speeds up dark mana erosion by 20%, inflicts an additional Fear effect upon dealing damage to living creatures, and increases damage against undead creatures by 1000% (currently unactivated).]
"Holy crap, a single Divine Protection can give this much of a boost?!"
The effects of this Divine Protection were far more powerful than he had anticipated.
Combined with the talents granted by the system, he felt as though the difficulty of clear-running dungeons would drop by a whole tier.
By now, Nightmare had already leaped back down to the ground. She was perched on a nearby rock, gracefully licking her paw as if nothing had happened moments ago.
Greg looked at her, touched his lips, and said, "You stuck your tongue out just now, didn't you?"
Nightmare paused mid-lick, then nonchalantly resumed. "I couldn't help myself. Besides, it doesn't really affect you, does it?"
"Cat tongues have barbs! I could feel you transformed into human form, so why didn't you spend a bit more mana to transform your tongue too?! You almost shredded my lips, alright!"
Greg protested, still feeling a slight numbness on his lips.
"I recall you mentioning last time that you liked catgirls. Since you dislike it, I shall keep that in mind next time."
Nightmare's tone sounded completely insincere.
"Besides, the benefits you received this time are immense. Once you leave the dungeon at night, you will feel it."
"There better not be a next time! What I like is just the catgirl aesthetic!"
After finishing his complaint, Greg suddenly caught a detail in Nightmare's words.
"Wait, why do I have to leave the dungeon to feel it?"
He remembered that Victoria's Divine Protection could be felt and functioned normally inside the dungeon.
Why did his Divine Protection require him to leave the dungeon to take effect?
Nightmare remained silent for a moment before replying, "I do not know why either, but my Divine Protection indeed cannot take effect within a dungeon."
"..."
Greg was dumbfounded.
He had not expected that his dream of dominating the dungeon, which he had just been fantasizing about, would go up in smoke so quickly.
Although this Divine Protection was powerful, it could not function where he needed it most, which was undoubtedly a massive disappointment.
However, he adjusted his mindset quickly.
After all, even if this Divine Protection was ineffective inside dungeons, it exerted an exceptionally powerful effect on the surface.
While it only activated at night, it was still infinitely better than having nothing at all.
Furthermore, during the upcoming Hundred Academy Exchange, he could not possibly spend all his time in the Empire Dungeon anyway.
Though the Empire Dungeon lacked the restrictions of the Academy Dungeon, it was a restricted zone of the Royal Family; simply gaining entry would be a massive hassle.
Most of the time, he would still be on the surface, participating in various exchange events and carrying out his plans.
Thus, having such a Divine Protection significantly increased his margin for error.
Thinking about the upcoming Hundred Academy Exchange, Greg turned to Nightmare once more.
"By the way, Hajimi, I told you before that I'm heading to the Empire in a few days for an important event. I plan to take the opportunity to tackle the Empire Dungeon while I'm there. Are you coming along?"
Nightmare nodded, her vertical amber pupils shimmering with a deep, enigmatic glow in the reflection of the campfire.
"Of course. If you were to recklessly die there, I would be quite troubled. After all, whose fault is it that our fates are now bound together?"
"Alright. Then hide in my shadow when the time comes, but don't go interrupting me out of nowhere!" Greg instructed.
He certainly did not want Nightmare's snarky remarks ringing in his head at a critical moment, causing him to get distracted and make a mistake.
After settling things with Nightmare, Greg thought of another person—Allie.
She was the secret weapon he had prepared for rapidly clearing the Empire Dungeon, and tomorrow it was about time he recruited her.
"But how am I going to bring her along?"
Greg felt a headache coming on.
First off, bringing her into the academy delegation was out of the question.
Only students selected as academy representatives were allowed to go to the Empire this time; no one was permitted to bring personal servants or attendants.
Moreover, given Allie's hostile attitude toward Victoria and the others, if they accidentally crossed paths, things would inevitably turn into a giant mess.
He didn't want to be forced to handle an internal brawl before the exchange even began.
On the other hand, if he let her go to the Empire alone, with her idiot maid persona, she would undoubtedly get lost halfway there.
When that happened, he would probably have to post missing-person flyers in every street and alley of the Empire just to find her before the exchange started.
Just as he was at a loss for what to do, a figure suddenly flashed into his mind.
"That's it!"
Greg slapped his thigh.
"If I just find a way to get Wendy to take Allie along, wouldn't that solve everything?!"
Wendy was a Chief Steward level figure—pragmatic and reliable. Having her travel with Allie would not only ensure Allie didn't get lost, but also avoid any direct contact between Allie and the academy delegation.
It was a perfect win-win plan!
...
"Achoo!"
Inside an exquisitely decorated study, heavy velvet curtains were half-drawn, shutting out the night outside and leaving only stillness within the room.
The desk was in the Rococo style, its legs carved with delicate vine patterns. A dark green velvet cloth was draped over the desktop, neatly arranged with a quill pen, an inkwell, and several open documents.
The entire study radiated understated elegance without seeming ostentatious, reflecting its owner's refined taste.
Wendy rubbed her nose and blinked her eyes in confusion.
Is someone talking about me?
A cult member standing nearby immediately put down their work and asked with concern, "Lady Dark Crow, are you alright? Should I go brew a cup of hot tea for you?"
"Yes, please," Wendy replied with a nod, her voice soft.
The cult member bowed respectfully, turned, and walked out of the room, gently shutting the door behind them.
Quiet returned to the room once again.
Wendy set down her quill pen and turned her gaze toward the window, looking out into the distant north in the direction of the Empire.
Her eyes grew somewhat complicated, as though she were pondering something deeply.
However, she soon patted her cheeks, pulled her gaze back, and picked up the quill pen once more.
"Since I've left, things should have improved by now."
She then returned to her unfinished work.
The candlelight cast soft shadows across her profile, revealing a face that could not settle into peace.
Rate on N.U.
