Then, the scene shifted.
The moment the stele flared to life, the woman's words proved true.
In the blink of an eye, Klein and the old man were transported, right into the middle of the town's bustling market square.
Their sudden arrival, marked by a quiet pulse of spatial energy, drew eyes from all directions.
After all, suddenly appearing in the middle of this bustling place, guarded by shadow knights, shadow soldiers, sentry guards, and even Elias divine mind, who wouldn't be alarmed?
Whispers spread like wildfire. Before long, a squad of tall, imposing dark knights moved in, forming a tight circle around them with practiced efficiency.
Their armor gleamed in the sun, black and heavy, casting long shadows over Klein's face as he instinctively stepped back.
"Crap, Old man... I think we got scammed"
"Hop hop, I gotta sleep... You handle this yourself"
"Old man!"
From somewhere nearby, Elias was alerted by the commotion.
It didn't take long for him to appear, his robes trailing behind him as he walked with quick, purposeful steps.
His sharp gaze swept over Klein, narrowed with suspicion.
After several rounds of direct questioning, Klein found himself cornered.
With no viable alternative, he spilled the truth, everything about how he got here.
The old man didn't even try to intervene.
The moment the dark knights showed up, he darted into the ring, clearly unnerved by their presence.
Even now, Klein could feel the faint vibration from within the ring, probably the old man laughing at him.
Klein had expected trouble.
When he finished recounting the underground dungeon to the stern, ponytailed man who appeared to be in charge, he was already bracing for shackles, or worse.
But to his surprise, Elias simply let him go.
That reaction alone was enough to raise flags. Something about this whole situation wasn't right.
The old man, peeking cautiously through the slit of perception in the ring, had his own ideas.
He figured the lord, or at least the territory's upper management, had already caught wind of the dungeon's existence.
Perhaps, they even understood a fraction of its uniqueness.
But what none of them knew was that Elias had made his decision the moment he heard the tale.
The moment Klein described the events inside the dungeon, Elias had silently pinned everything, every bizarre occurrence, onto one person.
Mize.
And with that realization, Elias wanted nothing more to do with it.
'Yup, not dealing with this'
"I heard from Aizen…" Elias muttered to himself, still shock from the meeting, "…that Her Highness could level a town without even trying now."
He swallowed hard, palms sweaty as he returned to his office and threw himself into a pile of parchment and files, determined to keep his head low.
He didn't step out for hours.
"The lord said to let Her Highness do as she pleases," Elias whispered, repeating the words like a mantra. "Then I'll follow that advice. I'm not touching anything that might interfere with her plans."
His fingers trembled slightly as he reached for another paper.
"That woman in the dungeon… she has to be connected to Her Highness somehow. There's no way someone that powerful just wandered in by coincidence."
He leaned back in his chair, rubbing at his temples.
"But still, where the hell did Her Highness find someone like that? And what do you mean there's an entire world of dungeons hidden underneath the territory?"
"Haih, I am clearly getting underpaid this way. Oh how I loved being a general Instead"
He gasped again, louder this time, recalling Klein's detailed story from earlier.
No matter how he looked at it, none of it added up. Not the timeline. Not the scale. Not the sheer impossibility of it all.
"I used to think the lord was absurd," Elias groaned. "But now… Her Highness is even more outrageous."
He slumped forward, burying his face into the stack of parchment with a tired exhale.
The documents rustled under his breath.
The dungeon's existence was too large to ignore. He knew that. Sooner or later, it would go public, and once it did, every major force from the inner region would be clawing their way here.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, adjusting his glasses with a frustrated sigh. "I need more clerks… if I keep this up, my brain's going to float off to the moon."
His gaze dropped to the papers again.
"Alas, I just wanted to be a peaceful minister. Handle a few policies. Water my plants. Is that too much to ask?"
He shook his head slowly and began drafting plans, his thoughts already racing ahead.
"The forces in this region aren't simple either. Too many things to consider. Too many moving pieces."
He leaned back with a wry smile, more bitter than amused.
"Anyway… let the lord handle them. I'm just the paper-pusher."
Chuckling dryly to himself, Elias buried his nose back into the administrative work, fingers moving with automatic efficiency.
"I miss watering my babies," he muttered under his breath. "Hope they're doing alright."
Swoosh.
The scene shifted once more.
Now, it was the quiet, sun-drenched backyard of the castle.
The garden stretched in all directions, lush, fragrant, and immaculate.
Near the edge of the lake, a charming structure stood: a wooden open-air pavilion, built like a cozy picnic house without doors.
The beams were bent with careful artistry, the entire place radiating calm vibe.
Good vibe, good day.
At the center sat a table and a chair, both crafted with a gentle elegance.
To the right, the view overlooked the still lake, its surface catching the soft hues of the sky.
And there, seated comfortably, was Mize.
She let out a long groan, stretching her arms high above her head.
Her toes curled slightly beneath the low table, and her robes pulled taut against her form with every shift of her muscles.
A light twitch in her shoulders set a gentle ripple across her chest, but her eyes remained fixed on the water, appreciating.
"Ahhh… finally, a quiet moment," she exhaled with relief.
With a casual wave of her hand, a subtle ripple of invisible force expanded outward like a dome.
It cloaked the area in a soft shimmer, wrapping it in silence.
Unless someone possessed greater mental strength than her, they wouldn't even realize she was here.
She wanted peace. Just for a little while.
With another flick of her wrist, a teapot and matching cup materialized on the table, simple, elegant.
The tea inside steamed faintly, a soft jade-green swirl gently wafting upwards.
She lifted the cup with both hands, sipping slowly.
Instead of the usual warmth, a cool sensation spread down her throat, sharp and refreshing.
Her lungs tightened before relaxing again. She exhaled in satisfaction, the chill settling deep into her chest.
Her gaze shifted lazily to the chair across from her.
She gestured toward it with the teacup. "Tea?"
"No need," came the voice, a low, frosted reply.
The woman from earlier was already seated across from her. The cold beauty, silent as a shadow.
Her deep blue dress shimmered like frozen velvet. Frosted white brows framed her glacial eyes, and her long, wavy hair flowed like the sea caught in winter's grip.
An iceberg, impossibly distant in her demeanour.
Mize didn't mind the attitude, she smiled instead.
She simply lifted the cup again, tilting it lightly in her hand as she brought it close to her nose.
A few slow waves followed, gentle, unhurried movements that let the steam curl up and brush against her face.
Her lashes narrowed slightly, and a quiet satisfaction flickered in her eyes as she took in the aroma.
Moments like this were rare, and she knew to savor them.
Sip.
Another quiet slurp echoed in the air. She set the now-empty cup onto its saucer with a faint click, then leaned back in the chair, letting her body relax fully into the gentle support.
Her gaze drifted lazily to the left, out across the lake's shimmering surface.
As for the woman across from her, Mize didn't bother with small talk. There was no point, really.
It was her, after all.
Or rather, a clone.
Crafted and stylized with distinct features to play a particular role in the plan she was currently orchestrating.
A quiet, meticulous piece on the board.
And judging by the early results, the setup had been a resounding success.
With a flick of her fingers, Mize called forth her character panel, the glowing interface unfolding before her in the air like a cascading scroll of golden script.
Her eyes scanned the rows, lips tugging upward into a faint smile as she took in the numbers.
[Personal Status Panel]
[Title]: Goddess Awakening
[Awakening Status]: Awakened
[Profession]: Path of the Degraded and Elemental Goddess - Beauty, Lust, and Detachment Divinity
[Realm]: Tier 3
[Beauty System]
Beauty Points: 71
Cute: 60
Charm: 64
[Inventory]
Storage Ring (Mid-Stage Blue Grade): Holds high-end fashion items, accessories.
[Skills]
Imagination Realism [Tier 3]
Telepathic Control [Tier 3]
Gravity Control [Tier 3]
Ethereal Charm [Tier 3]
Soul Flowers Domain [Tier 3]
Wooden Guards, Wooden Soul [Tier 3]
Set the Heart Ablaze, Set My Conviction on Fire [Tier 3]
Purity of Soul, Neutrality of Mind [Tier 3]
Cataclysmic Orbs [Tier 3]
Teleportation [Tier 3]
Heavenly Golden Palm [Tier 3]
All Mighty Push [Tier 3]
Mirage Realm [Tier 3]
Mental Tank [Tier 3] ×20
Bless of Reduction [Tier 3]
Mental Strength Digitalisation [-]
Rapid Breeding [Tier 3]
Flesh and Blood Engineering [Tier 3]
Terrain Manipulation [Tier 3]
Absolute Clone [Tier 3]
Five Elementals Overlord [Tier 3]
[Points: 118,000]
Note: The exchange rate for appearance is 1,000 points per increase.
She studied the panel carefully, a satisfied look lingering in her eyes.
The newly added Elemental Overlord skill had been tailored specifically for a future arc in her broader script.
Each clone needed a unique role, and with that, came the need for unique attributes. This one would be no different.
Just as she began sinking deeper into thought, a familiar voice cut through the silence, unexpected and startling.
The system.
[Host, there's a new update for the appearance points exchange. Would the host like to accept it? The update will take a few minutes.]
The voice had been absent for some time, and its sudden return felt like a slap on the back after a long absence.
Still, Mize responded with her usual dry ease.
"If you're just going to make it more complicated, then no. I refuse."
[No, Host. The update will actually simplify future point exchanges.]
[It is also tied to the host's current state and the progress achieved so far.]
"...Hmmm."
A brief hum left her lips as her hand rose, fingers lightly propping her chin. Her expression didn't change much, but her eyes turned thoughtful.
Across the table, the iceberg clone remained silent, relaxed, poised.
One leg draped over the other, the hem of her deep blue dress slipping back just enough to reveal pale, smooth skin.
Her gaze wandered over the lake's calm surface, unbothered by the discussion.
A few seconds passed.
Then, with a sigh that hinted more at annoyance than worry, Mize muttered, "If it ends up worse than before, I'm going to kill you."
[Please rest assured, Host. This update will not harm the host's interests.]