After arranging for Scylla to teach the maids how to use the magiphones, Ye Chui wiped the sweat from his forehead and walked to the control room beside the Garden of Stars. Though called a control room, it had originally been a simple pavilion for rest. Ye Chui had modified it into a small, sealed stone hut.
Of course, despite being a “dark little room”, it was never stuffy in summer. On the contrary, it felt wonderfully cool and the air was remarkably fresh. A magic-driven cold-air generator continuously produced refreshing breezes while expelling the warm, stale air.
This was his magically modified air conditioner.
Outside the stone hut stood a huge bellows that combined fantasy and xianxia aesthetics. It looked utterly out of place among the elegant gardens. If this were a TV drama, viewers would surely cry “continuity error”, but to the people of this world it simply resembled an artistic stone sculpture with a rather unique design.
Ye Chui pushed the door open and poked his head inside. Debbie, who was sitting cross-legged on a stool staring at several light screens, turned around and urgently said, “Close the door quickly, or all the cold air will escape.”
Ye Chui smiled wryly, shut the door, and let out a satisfied groan as the coolness washed over him. The structure of the modified air conditioner was actually very simple. He had redeemed many from the system mall and even disassembled one to study it. It worked on principles similar to the air conditioners he remembered from his previous world. This magical world still shared the same fundamental physics and chemistry when magic was not involved. The device simply converted magical energy into electricity and airflow, then used refrigerant reactions and heat absorption to produce cold air.
He walked over to Debbie and looked at the light screens. They displayed the feeds from the magical eyes covering the entire Garden of Stars. The marvellous feeling of being able to oversee everything in the garden while simply sitting on a stool filled Debbie with intense curiosity. Her big eyes were glued to the screens, finding endless amusement in them.
Ye Chui smiled and patted the girl’s shoulder. “During the ceremony, you’ll stay here and monitor the whole venue.”
“Mm-hmm! Nothing will escape my eyes. Oh, look, that maid is secretly eating snacks from the stone table…” Debbie cried out happily.
Ye Chui gave another wry smile. He suddenly remembered something and asked, “Where are Guni and Shalumei? Weren’t they with you earlier?”
“Oh, they said they were going to check the kitchen. We’re also responsible for the food and drink served at the ceremony,” Debbie answered.
Ye Chui let out an “oh”, then realised what that meant. His expression turned helpless. “Those two gluttons… Debbie, didn’t I tell you to watch them? With their appetites, they’ll probably clear out the entire kitchen before the ceremony even starts…”
“I warned them, but they never listen to me,” Debbie hurriedly defended herself. Seeing that Ye Chui was about to object, she quickly changed the subject. “Hey, Dany’s just arrived in the garden.” She pointed at the screen showing the garden entrance. Dany, wearing a gorgeous long dress and holding up the hem with both hands, was cheerfully greeting Reza. Four personal maids followed behind her.
However, the maids were stopped at the entrance by a member of Alpaca Team. Until the ceremony began, no one outside Ye Chui’s security staff was allowed inside.
After exchanging a few words with Reza, Dany ran straight towards the stone hut.
Moments later, the hut filled with Dany’s blissful sighs at the refreshing air.
“This place is heaven!”
“Weren’t you with Jacob receiving foreign envoys? How do you have time to come here?” Debbie asked.
“I sneaked out. Receiving envoys is so annoying. None of them speak like normal people, there are endless rules, and I have to keep smiling politely until my face feels stiff. Lunch was the worst. I couldn’t eat properly at all. In a whole hour-long banquet, I only managed one bite of meat, and even that was secretly…”
Dany poured out her complaints in one breath. Although she had been born a noble lady, her personality was lively and unrestrained. She had never cared about etiquette. After spending a long time adventuring with Ye Chui, she had picked up many carefree habits. Now that she had suddenly become the future empress, every word and action had to represent the dignity of the Empire. She genuinely struggled to adapt.
By comparison, Jacob was far more composed. Though he grumbled in private too, his manners were basically flawless, earning praise from chancellors and imperial officials alike.
“Here, Guni just brought this from the kitchen. Top-grade roasted beef, made by a master chef specially invited by the Empire. It’s delicious.” Dany proudly showed off the half-eaten, mouth-watering steak.
A vein throbbed on Ye Chui’s forehead as he glared at Debbie. So you deliberately let Guni and Shalumei go to the kitchen, didn’t you…
Debbie quickly looked away guiltily and tried to whistle to cover her embarrassment. Unfortunately she hadn’t mastered the skill and only produced a series of leaky puffing sounds. She looked adorably comical.
Dany sat down on a stool and happily tucked into the steak while continuing to grumble.
“Some of those envoys are especially annoying, particularly that fellow from the Northern Ridge Empire. His attitude is unbelievably arrogant. Let me imitate how he talks. ‘You actually declared war on the Church? I truly admire your courage. It seems the Stellar Empire does not understand how fearsome the Church’s foundation is. Oh, I’m not mocking you, Your Majesty Jacob, I’m simply in awe of your bravery! Heh heh, may you defeat the Church. In five thousand years, countless nations have tried to challenge the Church’s authority, yet all ended in miserable defeat. Some were even erased entirely, their very names lost to history. Well, perhaps this time the Stellar Empire will succeed?’”
Dany perfectly mimicked the man’s arrogant, contemptuous expression.
The Northern Ridge Empire lay north of the Stellar Empire, separated by the vast Dark Forest, the largest forest on the continent. When they were still in Stan Town, merchants from the Northern Ridge Empire had often passed through. It was a proud nation, and with good reason. Though not especially large in territory, it exported many valuable cash crops worldwide and enjoyed great economic prosperity. It was also a land steeped in Church influence; roughly eighty percent of its citizens were cultists of the Church.
They had sent an envoy to Jacob’s coronation as a matter of courtesy, but as Jacob had mentioned to Ye Chui, their true purpose was to persuade Jacob not to oppose the Church. Of course, they were not mere lobbyists; their words carried veiled threats and warnings.
“What’s that guy’s name? Should we teach him a lesson?” Debbie, clearly riled by Dany’s imitation, suggested angrily.
“Do you want the Stellar Empire to gain yet another imperial enemy?” Ye Chui shook his head. The Stellar Empire was now at war with the Church. Of the other great empires, the Rock Empire and the Tidal Empire had already declared support for the Stellar alliance, the far-northern Yellow Sand Empire had announced neutrality, and although the Northern Ridge Empire and the Morning Wind Empire leant towards the Church, they had no intention of fighting on its behalf. Their stance was to offer indirect support and wave flags from the sidelines.
Directly disciplining an envoy from the Northern Ridge would cause enormous diplomatic problems.
“Still, we should give them a small lesson. They clearly look down on the Stellar Empire’s strength and think we’re not qualified to fight the Church. Very well, let’s show them what we’re capable of,” Ye Chui said thoughtfully, already considering how to do it.
And soon, he found the perfect way.
…
While Dany was describing the various arrogant behaviours of Prince Bill, the envoy from the Northern Ridge Empire, Scylla’s voice sounded in Ye Chui’s ear. “One, One, this is Six. Lance wishes to see you. He is already outside the Garden of Stars. Over.” After finishing the report, Ye Chui heard her add, “From now on, all magiphone communication must follow this format. Understood, everyone?”
She was clearly still instructing the Joker Team maids.
Through the light screen, Ye Chui saw Lance, a commander of the Black-armoured Guard, standing at the garden entrance. Behind him was a nervous, freckled girl curiously looking around the Garden of Stars. Remembering Lance had once mentioned his girlfriend, Ye Chui immediately knew why he had come. He said a quick word to Debbie and Dany, then left the cool stone hut.
“Master Ye Chui.” The moment Lance saw him, he greeted respectfully. “This is my girlfriend, Nima. I mentioned her to you before. She hopes to attend the coronation as a guest and witness the grand occasion.”
“No problem at all,” Ye Chui replied with a smile. He turned to the freckled girl, but his expression became slightly odd. Nima… what an unusual name. Noticing how tense she seemed in his presence, he said gently, “Relax. I’ll just ask you a few questions…”
As he spoke, he summoned his iPad grimoire and used the QR code to scan her face, entering her memory website. This was Ye Chui’s method of screening guests. Because he trusted Lance, he originally planned to treat Nima’s check as a formality and remain relaxed. Yet the moment he entered her memory website, his expression grew solemn. The background colour of Nima’s memory site was blue.
A deep, deep blue.
Ye Chui had previously infiltrated the memory worlds of several Church believers and cultists. Their sites had all been the same deep blue, the colour representing faith in the Church. He glanced at Nima, then at Lance.
Lance was watching Nima with tender concern, clearly very much in love.
Ye Chui shook his head slightly, no longer feeling casual. He asked seriously, “Miss Nima, do you wish for the new emperor to ascend the throne smoothly?”
“Of course I hope His Majesty ascends without issue,” Nima answered quickly.
“Are you loyal to the Church?” Ye Chui continued.
Nima lowered her eyes slightly. “I am loyal only to my own faith.”
“Will you disrupt the coronation ceremony?”
“I will bless His Majesty’s ascension.”
…
The questions were soon finished.
Ye Chui stared silently at his iPad screen for a moment. Lie detection was a recently discovered application of the memory website function.
When someone answered a question, a new memory article would be generated. If the answer was a lie, the article title would require unlocking with points before it could be read. If the answer was truthful, the article could be opened freely. Lies involved privacy and thus needed unlocking; honest answers had no privacy to hide.
All the articles generated from Nima’s answers were grey, meaning she had not lied. Opening them revealed nothing suspicious. Ye Chui could confirm that her statements “I will bless His Majesty’s ascension” and “I am loyal only to my own faith” were genuinely what she believed.
Yet that only deepened his suspicion.
He realised what was happening. Everything Nima had said was technically true, but her idea of “blessing” and “faith” could have entirely different meanings.
When someone was fanatical enough to believe that killing another person was for that person’s own good, then declaring “everything I do is for your benefit” was not a lie. It was a conviction carved deep into their heart.
Nima bore no trace of faith power, so she was not a believer, but she was almost certainly a cultist, and an extremely zealous one.
Ye Chui’s gaze moved to the very top of the article list. There was a post titled “I am willing to offer everything for the future of the Empire”. Normally he never unlocked encrypted articles during lie detection because points were precious, but this time he felt it necessary.
Unlocking that single article cost him 700 points.
After reading its contents, his pupils contracted slightly.
“President Ye Chui, Nima… she’s fine, right?” Lance asked, puzzled.
Nima also looked at him anxiously, fingers tightly clutching the hem of her dress.
Ye Chui’s face emerged from behind his grimoire wearing a warm, friendly smile. He took out a badge and handed it to Nima. “Miss Nima, this badge is your guest pass. Wearing it will grant you entry to the ceremony venue.”
Nima hurriedly accepted the badge. Seeing the number 38 on it, she looked slightly confused.
Ye Chui explained, “Every guest receives a number. Congratulations, you are number thirty-eight.”
The remnants of the Church still lurking in the capital had not given up and planned to cause trouble at the coronation. Perfect. Ye Chui could use this opportunity to show all those who doubted the Stellar Empire’s strength exactly what the Empire was capable of.
Thanks to his deliberate scheduling, the coronation would fall on a Saturday.
He was going to put on a spectacular face-slapping performance for everyone who had underestimated the Stellar Empire.
