novelraw #233 - Section 233
#233 - Section 233
Any belief is accelerating one's own death.
Nicole thought about many things.
The feats the Empire was undertaking, her past life as a Saintess, the past history of this world, and from her contact with the Sea God's consciousness, she tried to understand the true attitude of the gods towards them, the believers…
The result was, of course, disheartening to her.
Gods are beings completely beyond mortals, different in their existence time, abilities, and thoughts.
Gods have taken the exploitation of mortals for granted, with an attitude like the Naga raising livestock.
Believers are the livestock of the gods, living to pull carts, dying to be eaten, their skins to make clothes, their fat to be rendered into oil…
In short, nothing is wasted. Over countless ages, the Seven Gods have continuously refined their craft, and it can be said that they utilize their lambs until not even scraps remain.
Saintesses are considered sheepdogs, perhaps of even higher value. The gods will give them some protection, but nothing more.
They don't even have the qualifications to be regarded as equals by the gods. Receiving a response to prayers is the gods' mercy, and not receiving a response simply means your value is insufficient.
This is a completely unequal relationship. The gods use faith as their source. This is not a transaction, but plunder. Believers have absolutely no means to counter the Seven Gods.
Otherwise, destruction awaits them.
Zealous fanatics would never think of these things. The environment they grew up in and the information they are exposed to form a thought cocoon, sealing off any possibility of understanding.
It was this failure that broke that seal.
However, Nicole also had some questions about the Empire. After thinking things through, she needed to talk to Roger again before making a final decision.
In the prison cell, Nicole's face showed undisguised fatigue, as if she had been up for a long time without rest, but her eyes were clearer and sharper than when they first met.
She seemed to no longer be lost, having rebuilt her spiritual world in reality.
Now was the moment for her to make a decision based on this worldview.
Roger was very satisfied with Nicole's condition. Having reached this point, even if she didn't find common interests with the Empire, she would no longer return to the embrace of the gods.
Just like Tassica back then.
Nicole smiled and asked Roger:
"Lord Charles, is your promise with the Empire still valid?"
"Of course, the Empire will not force you."
"I want to know, what are the chances of success for the freedom the Empire seeks?"
"1%? Perhaps even less. At least on paper, we are at a complete disadvantage."
"Then why choose to resist? If we cooperate with the Seven Gods, the Empire and the Empress will surely receive their support, and mastering this world might even be easier."
"Because the Seven Gods want to turn this world into nothingness!"
"The timeline is wrong. The Empire had already broken with the Seven Gods before knowing this information."
Nicole's gaze was like a sharp blade piercing through time, and she caught a contradictory detail in Roger's words through these materials.
Roger was also stunned for a moment, but he wasn't intentionally deceiving her, but rather the details had become blurred because too many things had happened.
"Oh, at that time, it was probably because a certain woman was very arrogant and thought she was invincible." Roger felt that the blame should be placed on the Eternal Night Empress.
Out of nowhere, she suddenly expelled the Seven Gods Church. That blood mother was really too inflated!
Nicole remained noncommittal, staring at Roger: "But you are not an arrogant person, why did you never think of dissuading the Empress?"
Roger gave an awkward but polite smile: "Dissuade her? I'm just an employee, an exploited tool. Will anyone listen to what a tool says?"
Nicole pressed on the materials in front of her and said seriously: "Lord, these materials show that your opinion carries considerable weight with the Empress."
Faced with her confident gaze, Roger suddenly flickered and hesitated.
Does he really have a place in the heart of that increasingly mysterious and unpredictable Empress, who is becoming more and more adept at playing imperial power games?
It's clearly just a younger brother position!
He didn't want to talk about these things and said impatiently: "So, is this important? Regardless of whether I have ever stopped the Empress, the Empire's current camp will not change. It is you who needs to make a choice."
Nicole stared at Roger, making him feel uncomfortable all over. He didn't know what this little Saintess was up to.
Just as Roger was on the verge of erupting, she suddenly smiled and said softly: "Lord, this is very important, because I need to know if you are the hero I have been waiting for."
"Hero? Whoever wants to be one can be one. I just want to live a good life."
"Is that so? Then, Lord, I have made a decision."
Nicole's smile suddenly disappeared, "I will not pledge allegiance to the Empire, I pledge allegiance to you."
Roger was shocked by her answer: "Huh? What does this mean? You won't be a vassal of the Empire, but you insist on being a maid of the Charles family?"
"I pledge allegiance to you, using my identity, wisdom, and ability to help you complete the layout in the Naga Empire. In the future, the Naga who follow me will also be loyal to you."
She gently twisted her true water snake waist, turned to behind Roger, stretched out her small hand to knead the muscles on his shoulders, and said softly: "Of course, if you need me to be a maid, that is also a matter of course."
The legendary priest is proficient in human anatomy, and her strength and perception attributes far surpass those of ordinary maids. Even without learned techniques, and although still quite unskilled, the relaxation effect is first-rate.
Roger felt quite comfortable, but he became more and more vigilant in his heart, and turned back to lift Nicole's chin: "I still don't understand, you are a dignified Saintess, why bother humiliating yourself like this?"
Nicole looked directly at him, smiling with helplessness: "Because the Naga have no choice. Your Empress is too ambitious, I cannot understand her, and I don't have the qualifications to stand before her; your Empire is too vast, and the Naga are likely to have their value squeezed dry by those with ulterior motives. Only you have your own pursuits and enough kindness, and you are the most trusted person of the Eternal Night Empress. I pledge the Naga's allegiance to you, and you will guarantee our interests to the greatest extent possible. Of course, in the future, the Naga will also give you enough returns."
Roger frowned: "You think too highly of me, don't you?"
Nicole smiled: "Anyway, it's already a moth-to-flame gamble, what does it matter if we bet a little bigger?"
Roger fell into deep thought. Nicole's choice did not affect his completion of the Empire's orders.
Because Nicole listening to his orders is equivalent to letting the Empire have an extra Naga Saintess as an undercover agent, completing the layout they wanted.
But Roger's personal gains are too many, the allegiance of the church and related forces, the expansion of influence under the Empire's support, and a Saintess at his disposal…
It has to be said that this Naga girl is extremely beautiful.
Her appearance and figure are flawless, and more importantly, her contradictory feeling of surface aloofness and inner madness forms a unique charm.
Of course, she is also too clever and too ruthless, willing to gamble everything for success. A femme fatale, nothing more, and definitely not someone ordinary people can control.
While Roger was thinking, the girl's soft and fiery body had leaned over, clinging to him, and said coquettishly: "Lord, you will make the most beneficial choice for the Empire, won't you?"
"Oh, if I reject you, you won't cooperate with the Empire, will you?"
"As a Saintess, to avoid being humiliated, my teacher taught me many methods of suicide."
"You want to die, what does it have to do with me? This is moral kidnapping."
"But you are the one who falls for this. Because what I represent is not just one person's life, but the lives of so many Naga believers."
Nicole continued the movements of massage and muscle relaxation on his hands, and the temperature of her body against Roger's was getting higher and higher, whether it was nervousness or other emotions.
"You've studied me?"
Roger felt a toothache.
Nicole was right, he really didn't want to see that situation happen.
If Nicole cooperates with the Empire, guiding the Naga believers to gradually turn to non-believers in her capacity as a Saintess, then when war is declared with the Seven Gods, the Naga will not erupt into internal strife.
But if the Naga have a new religious leader, then in order to solve internal problems, the Naga will definitely be covered in blood.
This is a slaughter that can be avoided, this woman Nicole has really figured out Roger's weakness.
And no matter how you calculate it, Nicole is definitely at a disadvantage, and Roger is taking advantage.
Because she is placing all her hopes on Roger's moral standards.
Roger's refusal and hesitation are just because he thinks this woman is inexplicable, and can't see through her thoughts!
"You always have better choices."
"Perhaps the Naga have, but I don't."
Nicole suddenly stopped her movements, put her face on his shoulder socket, hugged Roger's waist tightly with her arms, and her voice was as light as a dream: "The god I have worshiped since I was a child was destroyed by you, my life is full of sin, I simply cannot bear the trust and worship that those lambs give me… I need a new belief, Lord, you are the only figure who meets this requirement."
Roger pushed her hand away forcefully: "You're sick!"
"Which believer isn't sick? And you are the only medicine."
Nicole turned her body lightly and sat directly on Roger's lap, hugging him face to face.
Only then did Roger realize that at some point, this Saintess was already in tears.
The pressure that had been endured for more than ten days was released unscrupulously in front of him.
"What a sin…"
He patted her back lightly, only letting out a sigh.
Chapter 210: The Empress: Let's Talk About You and Nicole
Group 4⑧87④97⑨9
City of Mysteries, Maple Spirit Moon Shadow Palace.
The Eternal Night Empress received Roger and Margaret, who had returned from the Sea Country.
Shack's ascension to the throne, Nicole's surrender, the Empire's five-year plan for the ocean strategy was completed ahead of schedule and exceeded the task.
An agent war reversed the original outcome, the Sea Country changed its Sea Emperor, and the subsequent benefits continued, and the seabed will become an important weapon test site for the Empire.
As time goes by, directly colonizing the seabed is not a very difficult thing.
In this battle, Roger and Margaret's performance was indispensable.
Of course, the Eternal Night Empress can also be called a wise person who let go of power and authorized it, and did not suddenly airdrop secret letters or arrange the principal's behavior of "moving the mage's position forward by fifty meters".
The Eternal Night Empress was also very satisfied with the result of this battle.
She only needs to cooperate at home to make expressions, and her capable Roger Aiqing will solve the problem, and she doesn't even have to copy her homework herself. Is there anything better than this?
Happy, the Eternal Night Empress directly set up a banquet in the Maple Spirit Moon Shadow Palace to entertain the two meritorious officials.
At the banquet, the three monarchs and ministers summarized the gains and losses of this marine layout, and verified that the same ideas can be used in more countries on the mainland.
Margaret has figured out that what His Majesty cares about is only victory, and she has secretly learned a few tricks from Roger.
The Nightingales and Sparrows under her command also have a large amount of information about enemy countries, and professional staff designed action plans, and proposed several quite devilish plans.
Well, the little devil is becoming more and more devilish, there is nothing wrong with that.
"Not bad, Mary, you are becoming more and more mature." The Eternal Night Empress was very happy to hear it, and recognized the feasibility of the plan proposed by Margaret.
As long as we cooperate well with the Terra Kingdom and the QingTeng Empire, this external threat will keep a low profile, the original contradictions between the great powers will definitely gradually surface.
At that time, it will only be necessary to slightly intensify the contradictions between the two sides or even multiple parties, and new battlefields will definitely be opened up.
The Empire can take the name of the Terra Kingdom and other third parties to sell arms on a large scale and earn money from both sides.
And just the beast soul bracelet plus the Elysium Illusion controls the people under its rule, reducing the ruling cost of the great powers and improving productivity.
In addition, the magic crystal machinery of Terra's cottage, thereby accumulating more wealth, these countries on the mainland have money to buy more weapons and equipment.
At this time, we must thank the Seven Gods Church.
It is they who have tirelessly sown the seeds of hatred among the great powers and different races.
Many of them are old rivals for thousands or tens of thousands of years. They didn't fight before just because there was a greater threat from the Empire.
Now the Empire has been broken by Terra and is "forced" to recuperate, its national strength has been improved, the people are obedient, and the level of equipment has risen linearly.
In just one year, many rulers have been unable to restrain their restless hearts and want to settle the old scores with their old rivals.
Not to mention the secular kingship, there is also hatred between the theocratic churches.
The alliance of the Seven Gods only exists at the level of the gods, and the transactions circulating among mortals all show considerable exclusivity, especially since some gods directly set up opposing camps…
All in all, with the world's respect for the strong and the abundance of races, it is difficult to want peace, but if you want to fight, there are a lot of ruthless people who will fight if they say so.
The three monarchs and ministers had a great time eating a meal, and by the way, they arranged the surrounding powers clearly.
Let these countries and forces consume each other first, it is best to turn their territories into ruins, the Empire acts as an arms dealer to make money on both sides, complete industrial upgrading and accumulate strength, and finally harvest the world.
Hey, isn't this the old road that the lighthouse used to take?
Sure enough, brushing other people's world war tasks can make you a superpower!
While chatting, the Eternal Night Empress casually asked about a key point that was not described in detail in the previous battle report: