Vol 4. Chapter 123: A Bold Idea
"Hm? Why are you giving me something like this?"
Pipi frowned, his face practically screaming that he had absolutely no interest.
Seeing this, Lingluo sighed helplessly.
"Sigh, Pipi, you're my personal maid, you know. Once we arrive at the academy, I'll inevitably have to interact with these classmates, and you might end up meeting them too. So... during the few days we have left before reaching Anvika, you need to familiarize yourself with their preferences and habits. That way, when you meet them, you won't accidentally say something you shouldn't or do anything too outrageous."
"Tch, not interested... I do things my own way!"
"I know that. But Pipi... these classmates are all precious daughters of major powers. If I get along well with them, I'll be able to build more connections, which will also help me seize power in Saint Lomari in the future. ...Hmm... And only after I seize power will you be able to legitimately take control of the empire from behind the scenes, right?"
"Uh..."
"If you accidentally touch a nerve and anger these children of powerful nobles and officials, they might join forces to oppose me in Saint Lomari later on... And with the existing opposition factions in the empire stirring up trouble as well, it might become rather difficult for me to become the Imperial Sovereign. Actually, whether I become the Imperial Sovereign or not doesn't really matter to me... It's just that your plan, Pipi, might..."
As she spoke, Lingluo deliberately adopted an extremely hesitant posture and cast the purple-haired girl a troubled little glance.
"Your plan, Pipi... might fall apart. If that happens, wouldn't all the effort we've put in over the past few years have been for nothing? Wouldn't that be such a shame?"
"Uh, th-that..."
After hearing Lingluo's explanation, Pipi was visibly shaken.
The arrogant, conceited expression on his pretty face gradually faded.
"Besides, isn't Lord Pipi very clever? Memorizing this little bit of information should be easy for you, shouldn't it?"
Seeing that Pipi was still hesitating, Lingluo habitually added another remark.
And the result...
Was exactly what Lingluo had expected.
After struggling with himself for a while, Pipi, who disliked reading, finally opened the roster Lingluo had handed him with extreme reluctance. Then, in his usual "disdainful" tone, he let out a cold snort.
"Tch, I'll take a look, then... But it's not because I'm worried about the plan falling apart! I just... I just think this journey is too boring, so I'm finding something to pass the time!"
"Mm-hmm, I know, I know."
Lingluo replied in a somewhat helpless yet affectionate tone. Even as she spoke, she continued using her handkerchief to wipe the bloodstains from the purple-haired girl's face.
At this moment, Lingluo's eyes were filled with tenderness.
Come to think of it, it really was strange...
She was someone who harbored deep suspicion and wariness toward humans...
Yet when facing Pipi, a Demon King-class Abyss Demon, a "monster" feared and hated by countless people, she could completely let down her guard and interact with him without the slightest burden...
It really was...
"Such a strange feeling..."
However,
Just as Lingluo was wiping Pipi's face, the purple-haired girl seemed to discover some shocking information.
His body suddenly trembled, his dark-purple pupils contracted sharply, and his entire figure instantly froze in place.
Naturally, Pipi's sudden change left Lingluo looking puzzled.
"Hm? What's wrong? Did something happ... Hm???"
However,
Before Lingluo could finish asking, the purple-haired girl, having recovered from his shock, abruptly raised his head and met Lingluo's emerald-green eyes.
Then,
Pipi immediately turned the roster around and presented one of the portraits inside to Lingluo.
"Hey, hey!! Th-this person... is your classmate?!!"
"Hm?"
Looking at the silver-haired girl in the portrait, Lingluo was momentarily stunned before giving a slight nod to confirm his question.
"You mean Class Monitor Mengxi? Yes, she's my classmate."
"Y-you're actually... in the same class as the Child of Destiny?! N-no, wait, that Child of Destiny... is attending Yexinlian Academy?!!"
"Yes... Oh, right. You didn't accompany me to Yexinlian half a year ago, so it's normal that you wouldn't know... But... didn't I tell you about it?"
𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
"No, you didn't!!"
Pipi practically jumped up in agitation, glaring intensely at Lingluo with a face full of "resentment."
"Why didn't you tell me something this important sooner?!"
"Something important?"
Hearing this, Lingluo couldn't help frowning.
Seeing Pipi react so strongly upon learning about the Child of Destiny, Lingluo couldn't help recalling the Asumos Church's claim that Abyss Demons harbored an extreme hatred toward the Chosen Ones.
Considering that Pipi himself was an Abyss Demon, and a Demon King-class existence at that, he probably held at least "a little hostility" toward the Chosen Ones.
Apart from wanting someone trustworthy by her side, the main reason Lingluo was bringing Pipi to Yexinlian Royal Academy was to protect her own safety and successfully retrieve the Heart of the Holy Dragon.
Without Pipi's protection, there was absolutely no way she could return alive...
Nor would she be able to complete her revenge...
But now,
After witnessing Pipi's reaction, Lingluo began to feel a faint sense of regret, along with a trace of ominous foreboding.
If Pipi really started causing trouble at Yexinlian, the consequences would probably be...
"Um... Pipi, you're not thinking of attacking the class monitor, are you?"
"Hm?"
"Pipi, listen to me. You mustn't do anything reckless, okay? According to the Council of Elders' intelligence, that Child of Destiny possesses the Goddess's power within her body. When she encounters danger, a 'miracle' will be triggered, and that miracle can severely injure or even eliminate any enemy threatening the Child of Destiny. Even though you're very strong, you might not be able to withstand it. And even if you survive, Anvika is the capital of the Crimson Leaf Empire and the headquarters of the Asumos Church. There are countless powerful experts there... After taking a hit from a 'miracle,' there's no way you'd be able to fight so many powerful opponents. So... Pipi, promise me you won't do anything reckless, okay?!"
"Oh..."
Pipi merely responded indifferently to Lingluo's warning before continuing to stare thoughtfully at the portrait of the silver-haired girl in the roster.
A hint of displeasure gradually appeared on the purple-haired girl's face.
However,
The target of Pipi's displeasure wasn't Lingluo.
It was his younger sister, whom he doted on immensely but who also gave him endless headaches...
After traveling to Saint Lomari and becoming Lingluo's personal maid, Pipi's understanding of the situation across the continent had basically come from the intelligence reports sent by his younger sister, Karina.
Recently, however, Pipi had grown somewhat dissatisfied with the information Karina provided.
The reason was simple.
That girl Karina had barely told him anything about the Chosen Ones.
Even when she did, the information always seemed to concern relatively insignificant matters.
For example, she hadn't told him a single thing about Xue Tianao's coronation or the Black Rose Family's operation...
As a result, Pipi had missed out on the operation to hunt down and kill the Child of Destiny's male counterpart.
This had left him extremely irritated and disappointed.
Even though, because he needed to protect Lingluo, he might not have had the opportunity to travel to Skyvault anyway...
But not only had she failed to provide any intelligence about Skyvault, she hadn't even told him that the female Child of Destiny was attending Yexinlian Academy and was actually in the same class as Lingluo?!
Little Na...
You damned girl!
Why are you hiding things from me again?!
Could it be... that you really think I'm unreliable?!
Are you afraid that if I find out, I'll ruin your plans?!
As this possibility occurred to him, Pipi couldn't help clenching both fists.
His greatest wish was to maintain his authority as an elder brother and establish an image of a mighty, strong, and dependable older brother in front of his adorable younger sisters!
Being considered unreliable by his younger sister?!
That was something Pipi absolutely could not accept!
Not to mention that Karina had already spent practically every day in the past casting "doubtful" glances at him.
Hmph!
After letting out a cold snort, a bold idea gradually took shape in the purple-haired girl's mind.
"If you think I'm unreliable... Hmph! Then I'll accomplish something huge and make you see me in a whole new light! I'll prove that I'm a dependable older brother!"
With that thought,
An almost imperceptible flash of murderous intent swept through Pipi's dark-purple eyes.
His gaze locked firmly onto the portrait of the Child of Destiny, and an unsettling smile appeared on his beautiful face.
Combined with the bloodstains still lingering in his hair and on his cheeks, the purple-haired girl's expression suddenly became rather sinister.
The Child of Destiny...
The Asumos Church...
And the Crimson Leaf Empire, huh?
A bunch of worthless trash! Just watch me fucking destroy every last one of you in one go!!
Heehee~
"Ha~ Hahaha~ Hahahaha~ HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
At this very moment,
Under Lingluo's complicated gaze, the purple-haired girl inexplicably planted both hands on his hips, threw back his head, and burst into wild, triumphant laughter.
Lingluo: ...