So sudden was Daphne's move that by the time Gulistan registered it, she was long-gone. In disbelief, she blinked, then vanished into icy haze to pursue the Kracht lass.
"What a glorious day. The Ancient Crystal World's God-Emperor, number one ruler in this Realm's history, had his new prize abducted in broad daylight by one of his consorts. Glorious, incomparably glorious.
I have nothing but awe."
Verena declared with solemn dignity, causing Konrad's forehead to crease into black lines.
"Hum, hum. More seriously, I know you've all lost your Valkyrie Armors. In fact, for reasons you'll learn in the future, many key items are now gone. But that is inconsequential because now, I create better, mightier tools. After the celebration, you will all receive new armors and mighty artifacts.
But more importantly, your bloodlines will require updates. Right now, in terms of bloodline strength, anyone of the Blood Shadow Pavilion stands leagues above you all. That's not acceptable. Worse, I plan to enhance their bloodline with a new boon. They will soon become even mightier."
Konrad explained while his eyes and tone reverted to seriousness.
"As my Valkyries, I will naturally not allow you to fall behind the army. We can go about this in two ways. First, you give up your current bloodlines for a new Chthonian Lineage. Two, I alter and magnify your current bloodlines, then add new ingredients to heighten the mix, thereby making you all nephilims."
Konrad offered from within his throne. Naturally, the echo of his words unleashed waves of surprise and confusion within the gathered ladies.
"You can do that?"
Jasmine couldn't help but ask. Although Konrad's bag of tricks seemed limitless, never did she expect him to possess such a formidable ability. And unable to comprehend how such skills could even exist, she could only shift the "blame" it on his new cultivation path. Of course, she wasn't entirely wrong.
"That, and much more. Feel free to ponder on your choice. You can give me an answer after the celebration. In the meantime…"
Konrad waved his hand, causing a dozen dark-purple seeds to surge in similarly colored beams and dive into the ladies' hearts."
"Those are my Devil Seeds. If you're willing to abandon the Three Realm's feeble cultivation bridge for my incomparably mightier one, they shall unlock the doors of a brand-new path. Though, I must warn you. While with my help, cultivating a Devil Heart is no challenge, the future path is fraught with difficulties."
Konrad warned while the ladies' eyes closed, and they fell into silent meditation.
With another sweep of his sleeve, Yvonne aside, all vanished in purple haze to return to the Empyrean Tower for accelerated cultivation. Now only the two remained. And Yvonne was startled to see that Daphne and Gulistan aside, only she didn't receive a Devil Seed.
But before she could inquire on the why, her eyes met Konrad's, and seeing the concealed annoyance within, she suppressed her inquiries.
"Don't you have anything to ask me?"
Konrad inquired in a calm tone Yvonne found quite chilling.
"I do not. But you seem to have a lot to say. So why don't you go right ahead?"
Yvonne replied, and hearing this, Konrad let his lips curve into a psychotic smirk.
"Come here."
He beckoned with his left hand, while the right rested on his throne's arm. A sense of foreboding filled Yvonne's chest, but unsure of where fault lay, she sauntered across the stairs, taking casual steps toward Konrad.
And in the instant her feet landed before him, Konrad took a hold of Yvonne's wrist, and pulled her into his arms. By the time she landed on his thighs, Yvonne was startled to see Konrad's right arm binding her chest while the left tied her waist.
"Now that we're alone and all threats have been handled, let's have a talk, shall we?"
Konrad began in a melodiously sinister voice that would have put any other on their knees. But in Yvonne, it could only produce a forced smile. Without permission, she stretched within Konrad's grasp, making herself comfortable on his thighs as her neck lay on his right shoulder.
"I gave precise orders to follow. The three of you only had one job: Wait.
Once Else and Verena reached their limits, you three only had to wait for my return. And if any major disturbance occurred, your task was to alert the Blood Shadow Pavilion, and have them handle it. But not only did you disobey express orders, you dragged Verena and Else into it!
Worse, the complicity between you women is such that they followed you in this suicidal errand without delay. What? Did all my boons convince you all that nothing could go wrong? Yvonne, how bold of you!"
Konrad pursued in an increasingly unsettling tone. And before the rebuke, Yvonne cleared her throat.
"Hum, hum. Well, unlike you, I like to minimize casualties. As long as Nessriane remained within the World Tree, even your Blood Shadow Pavilion couldn't pull her out. They could only watch as she absorbed the World Tree's Will and reached Embodiment.
Only I, with my unique skillset, could effectively cut the connection between Nessriane and the Tree. Without any knowledge of your future growth, when you would return, and the altitude she would reach, how could I just sit there and do nothing? You know that's not my style."
Yvonne replied without a ripple, while her eyes shifted away from Konrad's.
"Good. She even dares quibble. Very good. Then woman, tell me, when the situation evolved into something you couldn't handle, why didn't you take the escape road? Why did you run the risk of merging with that hateful tree? What if I couldn't pull you out? Hm?"
"Although my previous understanding of Primal Law Embodiment was limited, I still knew that A Life Embodiment could override your Immortality Seals. Worse, Once the World Tree went on a rampage, the Ancient Crystal World faced immediate destruction. I don't particularly care for those billions of souls, but they were prime faith material for you to thrive on.
How could I just watch our decades of work blasted into smithereens?!"
Yvonne retorted, but though sensible, her words still failed to placate Konrad's ire.
"Moreover…"
"Moreover what?"
"Thirty years ago you said:
'There will be a time when you find yourself backed into a corner, forced into a suicidal road by an extreme situation. At that time, regardless of what you face, remember that I have your back.
So long as I stand, nothing can harm you, and all disasters shall turn into blessings.'
Since you spoke such words, of course, I would dive in."
Yvonne followed, using Konrad's words against him. And now, he indeed had little left to argue.
"True, I'd foreseen the event and was ready to handle it. But there is no such thing as a single future. Regardless of how low their probability is, variations always exist. Even Fate Transcendent experts can't say with certainty what the future holds. They can only stand 99.9999% close to the truth.
So what if the world perishes? I will build a new one. So what if my plans suffer delays? My goals will never escape me. With my current abilities, so long as they're not erased by Infiniteness or consumed by Nothingness, none can elude my resurrection skills.
But your condition was clearly beyond resurrection. Weren't you the least bit worried that things might go wrong?"
Konrad queried, and hearing this, Yvonne's lips curled into a broad smile, and her head rose to rub Konrad's.
"Naturally not. True Faith transcends all manners of trust. Konrad, since I have faith in you, I will never doubt you."
Yvonne replied, causing Konrad to shake his head from left to right.
"How besotted! Today, for the sake of the country's stability, I must discipline you!"
Konrad proclaimed, but the words echoed without might, sounding more like a roleplay invitation than an actual threat.
"Alright, discipline as you will. But if the taste is more than I can bear, don't blame me for asking for more."
