[Alexia’s will is facing a severe test…]
[Due to the constraints of contract and oath, your will is undergoing a harsh trial…]
[Although Alexia was not deceived, and you were not affected, she still felt extreme anger at this moment.]
“Alexia!”
The voice calling Alexia’s name became clearer by her ear.
Simon anxiously shook Alexia’s shoulder, shouting loudly, “Alexia!”
Alexia raised her hand to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eye, the confusion and loss in her gaze gradually fading.
“I’m fine. I just witnessed some things I didn’t want to see…”
Alexia’s expression turned incomparably serious.
In that space, she could cry helplessly like an ordinary girl and complain to Terrence.
But in this grand hall, she was only the Empress of the Empire.
A symbol of supreme authority, standing above millions!
Alexia looked again toward Terrence’s position.
At this moment, as before, he had completely lost his reason.
The blue soul fire representing sanity had been completely devoured by darkness.
He raised his head and let out a roar, the sound piercing straight to everyone’s soul.
If it weren’t for the magitek devices equipped on the Blood Knights to protect against mental shocks, that roar alone would have been enough to render them temporarily powerless.
Even so, it still had a certain effect on them.
It was during this brief pause that the remains of the undead guardians destroyed earlier by Simon and the Blood Knights flew toward Terrence.
A Bloodstorm slowly formed around Terrence, as if using those remnants to assemble some terrifying existence.
From within came a chilling, sinister laugh that did not belong to him.
Even the battle-hardened Blood Knights found such a magical avatar to be somewhat overwhelming.
They usually faced enemies with physical bodies—beings they could strike with weapons—not such forms of magic.
Simon, however, was unaffected as he moved forward, trying to determine who had turned Terrence into this state.
But he couldn’t identify any symbolic features.
The traits of evil and darkness were too broad to serve as effective clues.
If there had been even the slightest hint, he could have used his knowledge of evil gods to lock onto the target.
But the opponent was extremely cunning, preferring to use low-level magic rather than reveal their own traits.
When the Bloodstorm completely swallowed Terrence’s figure, a vast Sanctified Light suddenly pierced and descended upon the great hall.
The light greatly suppressed the spread of the Bloodstorm, and the moment the holy light arrived, the terrifying laughter abruptly ceased.
Simon looked up at the light, questioning himself in doubt.
“Could it be that the God of Light personally intervened?”
He knew the God of Light usually opposed evil gods and would sometimes take action when things spiraled out of control or if the opponent intervened.
But he hadn’t expected this upheaval in the Empire to attract the God’s attention.
If the God of Light had truly intervened, it meant the one who transformed Terrence was indeed a deity—and one in opposition to the God of Light.
More importantly, the opponent’s target was clearly aimed at the Empire.
Because the God of Light protected Alexia not due to her faith, but because of something more serious—if the Empire fell, the whole world would descend into chaos.
The Empire did not worship the God of Light; even Alexia herself had made this clear.
Although the God of Light had never explicitly stated it, His actions were always based on the principle of protecting the world.
This could be seen from the doctrines of the Light Church, which Gerald had always faithfully upheld.
The God of Light truly protected the entire world.
One of His many titles was ‘World Guardian’, a distinction many self-proclaimed guardian deities did not possess.
Likewise, compared to other gods, He was even more detached from ‘human nature’.
The descent of the God of Light clearly caught the opponent off guard.
The Bloodstorm, which had intended to attack Alexia, instantly shifted into a purely defensive posture.
With a roar, the Blood Knights’ defensive line was breached, and the Bloodstorm attempted to flee the hall.
However, a giant hand of light filled with divine power suddenly seized it tightly.
In an instant, a shrill wail echoed from the Bloodstorm, and its form began to destabilize.
“Did I permit you to leave?!”
Alexia stared coldly at the storm, raising her hand toward it.
“In this Empire, do my words mean nothing?! Since when could even rats like you, hiding in the shadows, dare to challenge me?”
At that moment, she seemed like a descending angel.
Behind her, layers of Angel Wings unfolded one after another until ten wings were fully spread.
Gentle yet majestic holy light illuminated the entire great hall like daylight, resembling a true sun.
“So she’s serious now… This is not a good sign.”
Simon was now certain that the God of Light had intervened.
And He was manifesting through Alexia.
Alexia’s proficiency in magic was outstanding, but divine magic was not her forte.
The only reason she could cast it was because such magic was particularly lethal to undead creatures.
However, to reach such overwhelming power, her own strength alone was far from sufficient.
Especially after confirming that the opponent was also possessing Terrence.
Alexia then issued an order.
“Simon, stop Him! Under no circumstances can He be allowed to leave here with the late king’s remains!”
Anyone with a discerning eye could see this was a fight they couldn’t win and an attempt to escape.
How could she allow the opponent to take Terrence away?
No one knew when they might meet again, and this was like planting a ticking time bomb in the Empire.
Therefore, no matter what, she would ensure her father received proper rest.
And in their previous meeting, Terrence had already made it clear.
He had only that one chance to express his will.
After that, he would become a manipulated undead puppet, losing all sanity he once possessed.
Alexia naturally couldn’t bear to see her father reduced to such a state.
For both the Empire and the Loin royal family, it was nothing short of disgrace.
Alexia rapidly chanted a series of Ancient Incantations.
With each completed incantation, an Elemental Chain was drawn into the Bloodstorm, tightly binding Terrence within.
Then, a nail fell, fixing the chain firmly in place, making it almost impossible for the Bloodstorm to advance any further.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Without a trace of hesitation, Simon charged directly into the Bloodstorm.
What he saw inside surprised him.
The fierce hurricane outside was actually just a smokescreen, its real purpose to conceal the terrifying giant form gradually assembling with Terrence at its center.
Judging by its appearance, if it were delayed any longer, the remains of the earlier undead guardians might have fused with Terrence.
If that happened, even if Terrence couldn’t escape, the destruction it could bring to the royal capital would be immense.
Just as he prepared to swing his sword at the foe and shatter it completely, a familiar dragon’s roar echoed faintly from outside.
Simon froze for a moment.
“That… That’s the sound of the Chimera?!”
If he remembered correctly, he had ordered the Chimera to protect Belinda—how had it suddenly appeared here?