Clatter! Clatter!
Inside the brightly lit hall, cups were being exchanged in a lively flurry. The news of the decisive victory won by Green’s army had already spread through every street and alleyway. At this victory banquet, people were animatedly discussing the Chief Executive who had authored countless miracles.
“Hey, did you hear? The Kingdom of Carlisle has already sent ambassadors to sign a peace treaty. They’re ceding the entire eastern port and granting twenty years of trade immunity.”
“That’s nothing! I heard Archbishop Brian of the Church of Light has announced he’s joining Lord Green’s banner to help Miss Jessica reform the Church.”
“Ahem, don’t forget the Elven Court and the Dwarf Clans. They’ve all expressed support for Lord Green’s proposal to form a Continental League and have even nominated him as the Supreme Commander.”
Waves of admiring conversation rose and fell throughout the hall. Regarding the future of the Land of Hope, no one was stingy with their optimism.
Ba-ba-ba-ba—!
“Everyone!”
At the peak of the atmosphere, a resounding horn blast echoed. “Let us welcome with our most enthusiastic applause the Chief Executive of the Land of Hope, Supreme Commander of the Continental League, the noble and great—Lord Green!”
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
Thunderous applause shook the sky, vibrating the hall so fiercely it felt like the earth was moving. Guests from all walks of life—different industries and even different races—craned their necks to glimpse the legendary figure.
Under the radiance of the crystal lamps, the figure did not disappoint; he appeared like a holy being descending from the heavens to the mortal realm.
Is he… truly human?
In that instant, this doubt surfaced in the hearts of many. His story was more dramatic than mythology, more righteous than the Church’s gospels, and more perfect than anyone could have imagined. Green—the once-ordinary lord—was he truly just a man?
“Phew.” Taking a breath, a man dressed in silk and gold jewelry whispered with a look of infatuation, “Lord Green… he looks more like a true god than the one the Church of Light talks about!”
It was as if a switch had been flipped. No sooner had the man spoken than countless voices rose in agreement.
“Exactly! I heard Lord Green recently wrote a scripture regarding the ‘Holy Light.’ I think I’ll buy a copy tomorrow to keep at home; I hope Lord Green blesses me with good fortune.”
“Hmph, compared to those distant deities, Lord Green lives among us and solves our troubles. He’s much more worth worshipping.”
“I heard the Senate just passed a motion to build a massive gate at the city entrance, inscribed entirely with Lord Green’s achievements.”
Green, standing at the center of this adoration, felt a surge of irritability. Strange. What is wrong with everyone today? Looking at the bright-eyed crowd and hearing their words of worship, Green felt no joy—only a bizarre sense of unease.
“What’s wrong, Green? Your face has been pale for a while now.” Sophie, holding a glass of wine and looking exceptionally elegant in a gown that accentuated her graceful figure, leaned slightly against his shoulder.
“It’s nothing. Maybe I’m just feeling a bit awkward being stared at by so many people.” Green shrugged, deciding not to let his discomfort ruin the mood. At worst, he’d tell Mr. Brown to tone down the propaganda department’s rhetoric later. Are they trying to turn me into a replacement for the God of Light?
“Speaking of which,” Green looked at the rich dishes on the tables with a hint of pride, “you used to love teasing me about not being able to cook. I told you, that was only because of limited ingredients. Look, I designed the menu for this banquet myself. Isn’t it delicious?”
Green rubbed his chin with a sense of accomplishment. In the real world, back in the Star-Moon Adventure Team, he had handled the team’s entire daily life. Even those impossibly picky young ladies never found fault with his cooking. But early in this simulation, the social environment was too backward for him to recreate modern recipes. Now, things were different.
Seeing the Elves chewing elegantly, the Orcs feasting heartily, the Dwarves draining their mugs, and humans of all types enjoying the feast, Green nodded in satisfaction. He truly had changed a lot.
“Yes, it is perfect.” Sophie narrowed her eyes, scanning the packed hall. As if trying to regain some ground, she asked after a moment of silence, “But for this victory banquet… how much did you spend?”
“More specifically, how much did you pay out of your own pocket?” Sophie put her hands on her hips, her tone leisurely. At this moment, the immortal witch looked no different from a typical housewife questioning her husband’s yearly expenses.
“Ah, well, you see… the newly occupied lands need development funds, and then there’s the new laboratory at the Magic Crystal mine…” Green looked away guiltily. “Anyway, the Senate told me at the fiscal meeting that expenditures were too high this year and they couldn’t sponsor the banquet.”
Green rubbed his hands together sheepishly. “Aiya, but Sophie, don’t be mad. I’ve invested in several profitable industries lately, and once you develop that magic-conductor technology, we’ll make so much money from the patents…”
Green looked at her expectantly, only to be met by eyes that were turning red. Sophie was angry. Not because he had “wasted money,” but…
“Why? Why are you always like this?” Sophie began to sob. “Always thinking of others and forgetting yourself?”
From a Lord to a Chief Executive, Green hadn’t gained any personal benefits; he had actually lost quite a bit. He had donated his ancestral palace to the city hall, the Lord’s treasury had been nationalized, and the taxes he used to control personally were now subjects of debate in the Senate.
Sophie didn’t care about material things. For an immortal witch, worldly wealth was meaningless. But she cared about Green. She cared about him very, very much. People said time changed everyone. Yet, looking at this blushing man who was now panicking because she had started crying without warning—he hadn’t changed at all. From beginning to end, he was a fool.
Sophie used to think that everything had changed since she met Green. But now, she realized that in this fast-changing world, some things remained constant. Like Green. Neither the aging of his face nor the shifts in power had changed him in the slightest.
“Don’t—Sophie, please don’t cry,” Green said frantically. “How about this? I’ll go to the Senate and ask for more time off so I can spend it with you?”
Idiot. Sophie ignored his incoherent babbling and walked slowly to the center of the hall, to the seats reserved for the leadership.
“What? Did Green make you angry again?” Jessica, the former Knight of Truth and now a popular candidate for the leadership of the New Church of Light, was playing with a rag doll in a childish manner that completely contradicted her status.
“Give it back.” Sophie crossly snatched the doll back from Jessica and hugged it tightly, as if venting her frustration.
Drip. Tears rolled down her face.
“Sophie, Sophie!” Green rushed to her side. Completely failing to understand the situation, he chose the one move that never failed: he opened his arms and pulled Sophie into a tight embrace.
“Really, you’re both so old, yet you’re just like Mary—crying all the time and obsessing over dolls.” Green comforted her gently.
“Hmph, if you think I’m childish, you can leave me!” Sophie grumbled. “After all, you’re already the Great Hero who changed the world.”
“No, I’m not,” Green denied with a smile. “Because even if I really am a hero who changed the world, it’s only because of you, Sophie.” He spoke with deep emotion. “In the beginning, I just wanted everyone in Falling Leaf Town to have enough to eat. But because of you, we’ve built the world we once only dreamed of.”
Lying in Green’s warm embrace, Sophie closed her eyes and whispered, “Since you desire to realize your ideal world so much…” A slight smile curled on her lips.
Then what is the harm in granting you an immortal life like mine? With a longer lifespan, wouldn’t you be able to contribute more to your ideals? Besides, Green had just said she was responsible for these changes. Though it wasn’t entirely her intention, she had indeed done much. Since she had done so much for this world, it wasn’t too much to ask for one tiny thing, was it? Like granting her beloved the blessing of eternal life?
Just consider it… a small selfishness of mine. I just want to lie in Green’s arms like this forever. Is that too much?
BANG!
Just as Sophie’s heart was a whirlpool of emotions, the doors of the Executive Mansion were thrown open. An uninvited guest stepped inside.
“I heard you were having a victory banquet?” The intruder sat down familiarly, glanced at the food, and picked up a fork to take a bite. “The cooking shows quite a bit of taste.”
The guest slowly looked up, stared deeply at Sophie in Green’s arms, and then turned to Jessica.
“Is it for this kind of ‘thing’ that you chose to betray me, Jessica?” The intruder removed her cloak, revealing her face. “To betray the mother who saved you from heretics?”
Jessica’s face turned deathly pale. “High… High Priest?”
At the moment the City of Radiance was on the verge of falling, the High Priest of the Church of Light had entered the enemy’s headquarters alone, right in the middle of their celebration.
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