CHAPTER 670

【 MARS CONVERTED 】

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“Sehemmet?”

Evé raised her brows slightly.

The golden dragon Mars respectfully nodded.

“Indeed. Princess Sehemmet is the daughter of Anos, the King of Titans. She is a rather low profile mythical Titan. Even in the era before my slumber, very few knew of her existence.”

“She was born after Anos ascended as the Titan King. It is said that from the moment of her birth, she possessed the power of a mythical-rank Titan, making her a true born mythical being.”

“She held the divinity of war, vengeance, and fire. Although she was not one of the Nine Mythical Pillars of the Titan race, her true strength at her peak was sufficient to place her among those in that sequence, which represented the pinnacle of Titan power.”

Evé nodded slightly as she listened to Mars.

The Nine Mythical Pillars of the Titan race were also mentioned in the inherited knowledge she had received from the World Tree. They were said to be the strongest nine mythical-rank Titans during the height of the Titan era, and even the weakest among them wielded strength at the peak of intermediate divine power.

Leading the Nine Pillars was the King of Titans himself, Anos, who was also known as the Sun God.

Thus, to receive such high praise from Mars clearly showed how powerful this Titan princess had once been.

However, Evé also noticed a certain detail in Mars’s explanation.

“At her peak?”

There was a trace of inquiry in her expression.

Mars spoke with a somber expression.

“Yes. During the war between us dragons and the Titans, she was often ordered by Anos to fight our race. She inflicted grievous losses on us by relying on her overwhelming power, and several dragon gods even fell to her.”

“However, she was naturally extreme and violent in temperament, often losing herself in frenzied slaughter during battle. She not only expanded the war beyond Titans and dragons, she also targeted other ancient gods and took pleasure in massacring living beings. Eventually, the Mad Titan Princess caused a catastrophic disaster across Seigües and provoked the anger of many Titans, including her father, Anos himself.”

“In the end, Anos was forced to stop her and summon her back. But by then Sehemmet had already fallen completely into madness and no longer heeded Anos’s warnings. Thus, Anos had no choice but to join forces with other ancient gods and devise a way to seal her.”

Mars glanced at Evé again as he spoke.

“Your Grace, if the memories you inherited are fully complete, I believe you should understand this matter even more clearly than I do.”

“Hmm?”

Evé raised her brows in mild surprise, unsure where his words were leading.

Seeing her reaction, Mars continued his explanation without pause.

“Because the ancient god Anos cooperated with back then was the former you. If I recall correctly, it was due to the incident involving Sehemmet that the two of you had a falling out, which led you to withdraw all support from the Titans afterward.”

Hearing this, Evé was genuinely taken aback.

At the same time, she suddenly understood why she always felt a faint sense of disgust and irritation whenever she tried to recall memories related to the Titan race.

Along with the memories of the World Tree, she had also inherited a portion of her predecessor’s emotions. Usually, these emotions remained dormant, but they sometimes resurfaced whenever she recalled certain memories.

While Sehemmet had brought chaos to the world of Seigües, the one who had ultimately instigated it was the Titan King Anos himself. Based on what Evé knew of her predecessor, it was likely because of this that the former World Tree detested this ruler of the Titan era.

He used his own daughter as a tool for slaughter, allowed her to lose herself in bloodshed, then eventually schemed to seal her away when she could no longer be controlled.

With such a personality, it was no wonder her predecessor despised him.

As for the Titan princess, although Sehemmet was cruel and abominable, she was also, in a certain sense, a pitiful existence who had been driven into madness by the circumstances of her birth and the forces that shaped her, only to be sealed in the end.

—Wait.

Sealed…?

If that is the case, then the Titan ruins in Maple Leaf Territory must be the sealed prison that held this Titan princess.

As a matter of fact, with Maple Leaf Territory having once been the site of the Elven capital made everything far easier to understand.

But why would this Titan princess, after breaking free of her seal, use the name of Anos? And why would she disguise herself as her father and create a faith with him as the patron deity?

Hmm…

Could she be trying to resurrect the Titan King Anos? Or perhaps, after being corrupted by the Abyss, Sehemmet now believes herself to be the Sun God Anos?

It was not impossible.

Evé’s thoughts raced, each one colliding with the next in rapid succession.

Yet no matter the reason, now that she had uncovered the true identity of this evil Titan god, a strange sense of relief settled over her.

Since it was not actually the Titan King Anos, and Sehemmet had even lost her primary divinities, that meant she was far less of a threat to Evé.

Nevertheless, a mythical-rank Titan who had been violent and unstable even before her imprisonment, who had since become fully corrupted under the Abyss’s influence, and who seemed to harbor a lingering grievance against the World Tree for aiding in her sealing…

If left unchecked, the consequences could be catastrophic.

With that thought, Evé’s mind had already begun to outline multiple plans, each designed to counter the worst possible outcomes while keeping her own forces safe.

“I understand. Mars, thank you for the information.”

Evé nodded slightly.

“Your Grace, you are too polite. You are the one I serve now. Since we have signed a thousand-year servitude contract, it is only right that I offer you all the power and knowledge I possess.”

Mars answered with respect.

After speaking, the gold dragon hesitated for a moment, then continued with clear worry in his voice.

“Your Grace… I know this may sound presumptuous coming from a dragon, but even if I set aside my identity as one, I still feel compelled to warn you.”

“Even if Sehemmet has not fully recovered her strength, her unbridled nature alone is enough to bring world-ending calamity to the realm of Seigües. At this moment, you are the only being in this realm with the power to stand against her.”

“Please… stop this Mad Titan, and even eliminate her entirely if necessary. I know you sealed her in the past because you hoped she might repent and find her way again. But since she has already been corrupted by the Abyss, Princess Sehemmet is beyond salvation.”

Evé remained silent for a moment, then nodded lightly.

Mars exhaled in relief. After another moment of hesitation, he seemed to have something more to say but did not speak.

Seeing the old golden dragon’s uneasy expression, Evé smiled slightly and spoke gently.

“Is there something else you wish to say? There is no need to be so tense.”

Mars looked a little embarrassed.

He flicked his large tail with a hint of nervousness, and the golden whiskers on his face trembled.

“Your Grace… well… I wanted to ask how one becomes an NPC and give task to the Elves.”

Eve: “…”

—Wait.

It had not even been that long since she ordered him to meet the Elves, yet how was this ancient dragon, who had slept for countless years, already using modern player terminology so fluently?

Were the players really that good at brainwash—er, convincing someone?

Evé muttered inwardly.

“…You want to become an NPC?”

She asked calmly, masking her surprise behind a composed tone.

“Ahem… indeed, something like that.”

Mars raised a claw and scratched his head, his golden whiskers trembling slightly.

He sighed, then elaborated, his voice a mixture of hesitation and earnestness.

“I spoke with Lady Alice, the saintess you appointed, and asked her how to make those chosen ones calm down with their antics. She told me that becoming an NPC and unlocking the favorability system would help those rambunctious ‘players’ behave.”

“Not only that,” he continued, “I also consulted Mr. Thranduil and he explained to me the many benefits that come after becoming an NPC… for example, being able to freely issue ‘quests’ to the chosen ones through this thing called the ‘task system.’”

Evé blinked slowly

So it was not the players who taught you this and it was actually those two…

She glanced at the fidgeting gold dragon with a strange expression, then something occurred to her.

Evé smiled gently, her expression warm and reassuring.

“Of course. Those who pledge allegiance to me could indeed receive the task system and become NPCs.”

Hearing this, the old golden dragon immediately brightened, his tail giving a small hopeful sway.

“However…”

Evé shifted the tone of her voice, her gaze hardening slightly.

“The task system is bound to my faith, and only those who become my believers can become quest giving NPCs.”

After speaking, she looked at Mars with a soft but expectant gaze.

“As such, Mars, do you truly wish to become one of my believers?”

A conflicted expression passed across Mars’s face, his eyes lowering as he wrestled with the question. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke with quiet respect.

“Your Grace, I have read the teachings of your Church, and to be honest, I do not object to them.”

“However, we old ones have never dealt with the power of faith. According to the Elven chosen ones who preach your doctrine, becoming a believer means dedicating one’s entire life to their patron god, and even one’s soul after death would belong to that deity.”

He lowered his head slightly, golden whiskers drooping.

“However, I… do not want to lose my freedom.”

Seeing Mars’s earnest expression, Evé grew thoughtful.

She considered for a brief moment, then suddenly smiled. The gentle, charming curve of her lips stunned the golden dragon for an instant, leaving him staring.

“In that case… what about becoming merely a shallow believer of mine?”

“…A shallow believer?”

Mars blinked in surprise.

“Mhm. One who believes in me but does not need to strictly follow the full doctrine of the Church of Life. A shallow believer could still open their heart to me, uphold the core tenets, pray to me, and offer a small amount of faith, but their soul will not be taken by me after death.”

Evé explained with a gentle smile, her tone steady and reassuring as she watched the dragon absorb her words.

Mars hesitated again, uncertainty flickering across his face.

“Strictly speaking, only devout believers can receive the task system. However… I am on good terms with Lord Reinhardt, and maintain a good relationship with Lady Urinos, and the Elven race is also an ally of the dragon race.”

Evé’s voice softened slightly.

“So as long as you become a shallow believer of mine, I will grant you the power of the system and allow you to become an NPC.”

“Once you become an NPC, you can freely command the Elven chosen ones. Not only can you make them leave you alone, you can also easily receive all kinds of services from them.”

Something in her words clearly struck a chord within Mars. He swallowed unconsciously, and a subtle spark of excitement lit his golden eyes.

He hesitated for a while, wrestling with the weight of the decision, his mind torn between caution and desire. In the end, the temptation of the NPC powers, combined with the chance to order the chosen ones, slowly outweighed everything else.

“Since that is the case… I am willing to accept Your Grace’s faith.”

As he spoke, the golden dragon lowered his head slightly and bowed respectfully to Evé.

At that moment, Evé sensed a new point of light appear within the skies of her divine kingdom. It shimmered brighter than any star fragment, second only to the one representing Feynir, the Fairy King.

It was only Mars, a single dragon, yet with him now becoming one of her believers, she knew the remaining two dragons would likely follow soon.

Thus, the mythical dragon conversion quest that had troubled the players for days was easily resolved just like that.

After returning to the Garden of Eden, Evé paused to ponder briefly, then published an official announcement on the homepage declaring that the advancement quota for the intermediate silver-rank had been opened.

༺⟐༻

The Holy Maniya Empire, the imperial capital.

In the center of the inner city, a gray domed palace stood before the city square. The palace had a solemn and dignified presence, adorned with bright banners representing every province of the empire.

This was the Gray Keep, the meeting place of the Imperial Noble Council and the very heart of imperial power.

At this moment, the grand and luxurious council hall was filled with nobles seated in ornate chairs.

Every noble qualified to sit here was a core participant in the Empire’s governance. Each represented a household and a territory.

However, at the moment, these nobles who were usually poised and refined had completely abandoned their composure. They were arguing fiercely, shouting, hurling insults, faces flushed, on the verge of breaking into physical fist-fight.

Only the thirteen year old Princess Theresa sat helplessly on the throne beside the council speaker, while Bishop Winster, the regent, sat on the opposite side, observing the chaos with a cold expression.

“Fight! We must definitely fight! Our people are being slaughtered even as we speak! This is a disgrace to the empire!”

“Fight? With what? Before divine beings, we mortals are nothing. Even the judgment angel under the Eternal Lord was defeated. What do you plan to use? Your pitiful household guards? Or do you think the annihilation of the Third Royal Legion was not painful enough and want the rest of our legions to be wiped out as well?”

“We could send the Church’s Inquisition Knights! They could even ask the Divine Lord to send more angels! Do not tell me the Church cannot deal with a single revived evil god!”

“Heh. Then by all means, ask the Church that yourself! We are merely nobles. Our strongest experts barely reaches Legendary-rank.”

“The Church? What for? The angelic legion have already failed. Are you suggesting the Pope go instead?”

“Three years… did His Holiness, the Pope not proclaim that all evil within the world would be purged in three years time? We simply have to endure until then.”

“Heh… you want to wait for three years? Pft, that evil god in Maple Leaf Territory would have already destroyed everything by that time!”

“Then what do you propose? Should we beg other races for assistance?”

“Heh. Are you willing to allow heathens to step onto our sacred land? Or do you believe the Pope would approve?”

The nobles argued incessantly, their words sharp and mocking. Their voices overlapped until the chamber felt heavy with noise and the rising heat of frustration.

Meanwhile, Bishop Winster’s expression grew darker with every passing moment.

“Enough!”

His cold rebuke echoed through the hall. The sound struck like a hammer on iron. His legendary aura swept outward, and the council chamber fell silent instantly. Even those who had been halfway out of their seats sank back down.

He snorted and turned toward the council speaker seated at the very front. It was Duke Collins, one of the Seven Electors. The duke had been resting with his eyes closed, unmoved by the chaos around him, as though it was all beneath his notice.

“Well then, Your Lordship. I have seen enough of this charade. Tell me, what exactly do you want?”

Duke Collins, his hair graying yet his spirit sharp, slowly opened his eyes. He revealed a gentle smile that did not quite reach his gaze.

“Nothing of concern, Bishop Winster. Everyone here is merely worried about the situation and wishes to pacify the unrest in Maple Leaf Territory as soon as possible.”

He smiled again and continued. His voice softened, yet carried easily across the hall.

“Surely you agree that ending the rebellion swiftly is what matters most, right?”

“Get to the point.”

Bishop Winster’s voice was calm, although the pressure in the air grew slightly heavier.

Duke Collins straightened slightly. Several nobles leaned forward, sensing that the true purpose of this gathering was finally coming to light.

“Regent Winster, resisting an evil god is the duty of all living beings. It has nothing to do with one’s race or faith. So why can we not request the assistance of Her Grace, the Goddess of Life?”

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