Chapter 154: The Prince's Sacred Epiphany

Dawn Harbor remained a hive of activity. The Elven race’s signature white sailboats glided across the water, their movements as complex as a weaver’s shuttle, carving elegant wakes into the azure waves. On the docks, merchants of every conceivable race bustled about, their combined clamor a constant, rolling tide of sound.

The moment Celeste and her four companions stepped out from the shimmering halo of the teleportation array, that tide of noise receded into an abrupt, dead calm.

Every eye on the pier was drawn, as if by a magnet, to the figure walking at the very front: Eldara.

Her heavy armor was the color of a starless abyss, a deep, matte black that seemed to swallow the very light around it. Her crimson eyes—so utterly unlike those of any living creature—possessed a chilling authority, an absolute pressure that caused the sweltering summer air of the port to drop several degrees.

The four people trailing her, Celeste included, had already become living legends among the port’s merchants after the battle on the Frost Trail.

Celeste, in particular.

That outrageously bright, bubblegum-pink hair had become her calling card—a symbol now inextricably linked with terrifying monikers like “Walking Natural Disaster” and “Singing Divine Punishment.”

Their appearance caused the surrounding chatter to drop to hushed whispers. Every gaze was a cocktail of awe, curiosity, and a deep, instinctual fear.

“This way,” Eldara said, her tone clipped. She paid no mind to the gawking crowds, leading them directly toward the most magnificent white edifice in the port district—the Elven Foreign Guest Council Hall.

Celeste, however, had a keen sense for atmosphere. She noticed that ever since they had left the palace, the icy aura radiating from the Commander had grown even colder. That frosty gaze kept sweeping over her, a subtle but persistent scan filled with scrutiny and a distinct wariness.

‘That look…’Celeste thought, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over her.’It’s the exact same look a farmer gives a wild boar that’s getting a little too close to the prize cabbages in his garden.’

“No way…” Celeste muttered under her breath. “I was her mom’s cuddle buddy for one night, and the family hierarchy is already this screwed up?”

An outrageous thought began to take root in her mind. ‘Wait, hold on. If we’re going with the setting where the Queen is the mom and the Commander is the daughter… then doesn’t that make me… the future stepmom?'”Hee…” A sharp intake of breath escaped her lips.’Spicy. I like it.’ She gave her head a vigorous shake, trying to dislodge the increasingly unhinged train of thought, and quickened her pace to catch up.

“Commander Eldara, the delegation from the Human Kingdom has been waiting for some time,” an Elven guard announced, stepping forward and bowing respectfully.

Eldara gave a slight nod and pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the Council Hall. The scene that greeted them inside made Celeste nearly choke on a laugh.

Creeeak—

Inside the spacious hall, a dozen or so human envoys, led by an old Duke with graying hair, shot up from their seats with a horrendous scraping of chairs. They moved as one, as if their backsides had been simultaneously pricked by needles.

They all bent at the waist, clutching their chests in a gesture of subservience so standardized it looked rehearsed. Their faces were plastered with sycophantic smiles. The old Duke’s forehead was slick with a fine sheen of sweat, his face ashen; it was clear his nerves were stretched to their absolute limit.

“Respected Commander Eldara, good day to you,” the old Duke managed, his voice dry and hoarse, each word trembling. His gaze flickered nervously over the four figures behind Eldara. When he saw the faces that perfectly matched the ones from the magical recordings, his eye twitched violently, and his bow deepened.

Eldara strode to the head of the table and took her seat with composed grace. Her icy, crimson gaze slowly swept over every human present. “It seems the Human King has thought things through.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it landed with the weight of a mountain on every heart in the room, forcing the human envoys to breathe with excruciating care.

“Yes, yes!” the old Duke replied in a frantic rush. “His Majesty, the Human King, feels the utmost shame and fury at the foolish actions of the Prince and Princess! He has deeply reflected upon his oversight and has sent us here to return the stolen classics and offer our most sincere apologies to the great Elven race!”

As he spoke, he gestured frantically to the attendants behind him. Several of them immediately scurried forward, carrying chests sealed with magical wards. They placed them cautiously in the center of the hall. The old Duke stepped forward himself, his hands trembling as he undid the seals, revealing the perfectly preserved magical tomes within. “All the classics are here, not a single one is missing!”

Eldara didn’t even spare the books a glance. Her gaze passed over the groveling Duke and settled on the young man and woman standing behind him: Prince Alex and Princess Liliane.

Princess Liliane was a world away from the “equal-opportunity heartbreaker” Alex had described. She wore a pale blue dress, her golden hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of liquid light, her skin fairer than fresh snow. She simply sat there, silent and still, like a beautiful, soulless statue, completely oblivious to the tension gripping the room.

‘Damn, with a face like that, no wonder she has the capital to be a player,’Celeste mused.’If this were back on Earth, the line of simps trying to get her attention would stretch all the way to the moon.’

Prince Alex stood quietly to the side, his face still fixed with that serene smile—the smile of a man who had transcended mortal concerns, filled with a placid compassion for all living things. His eyes were clear but unnervingly empty; it seemed nothing in the world could cast a reflection in them or stir the slightest ripple. This saintly appearance created a sharp, bizarre contrast with the envoys next to him, who looked like they were about to piss their pants from sheer terror.

Celeste watched him, her mind racing. ‘Good grief, this “Sacred Blessing” wasn’t a purification, it was a full system wipe and reinstall, wasn’t it? Did he just select “Saint Mode” from the factory settings? If he doesn’t inherit the throne, he’s definitely going to start a new religion. The Church of Saint Alex, coming to a kingdom near you!'”Commander Eldara…” The old Duke wiped the sweat from his temple and spoke tentatively. “Regarding the…’Blessing’ upon the Prince…”

“Since the books have been returned, this matter is concluded,” Eldara stated, her tone flat. “As per our agreement, I will remove it for him.”

Her gaze shifted to Alex. Instantly, all eyes in the hall focused on the Prince, who still maintained his holy smile. Alex gave Eldara a slight bow, his movements elegant and composed. There wasn’t a trace of joy on his face at the prospect of being “unsealed,” but rather a hint of faint regret.

“Commander Eldara, I have a presumptuous request,” he said, his voice gentle.

“Speak.”

“Regarding this ‘Sacred Blessing’… could it… not be removed?”

The moment the words left his mouth, a wave of shock rippled through the room. The old Duke’s eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. “Your Highness! What nonsense are you spouting!” A prince—the future king—with absolutely zero desire for women? How was he supposed to continue the royal bloodline? This was the greatest joke in the history of the Kingdom!

Alex, however, remained completely unfazed by the Duke’s outburst. He continued to gaze at Eldara with those placid, clear eyes. “Commander, please allow me to explain. Before I received this ‘Blessing’ from you, my life was perpetually dominated by various low-level, superficial desires.”

“I was addicted to beauty, I lingered in the false warmth of flattery, and I wasted countless hours of precious time,” he confessed. His face was filled with sincere gratitude, his expression as pious as a believer who had just received a divine oracle. “It was your ‘Blessing’ that allowed me to break free from that quagmire of desire.”

“Now, my heart is clear, my mind has become incredibly sharp. I will no longer be tempted by those vulgar, superficial people.”

“I can finally devote all my energy to things that are truly meaningful—for example, learning how to govern the kingdom and how to improve the lives of my people.” He paused, a trace of compassion gracing his features. “As for continuing the royal bloodline… I will treat it as a ‘responsibility’ that must be fulfilled. I will no longer seek any pleasure from it. To me, it is merely a task that must be completed for the continuation of the Kingdom. That is all.”

The speech was delivered with such righteous, impressive conviction that it left Celeste utterly dumbfounded.

‘Holy shit! What a goddamn legend!’she mentally applauded, clapping furiously in her mind.’Isn’t this the legendary permanent Sage Mode? Treating reproduction as a task, women as NPCs, and having kids as grinding a dungeon! This level of enlightenment is off the charts! Truly, a higher state of being!’

Beside her, Selene could no longer hold it together. She bit her lip so hard it turned white, her face flushed crimson. Her shoulders shook violently, and finally, she just slapped her hands over her face, her entire body trembling under the table like a sifter that had been plugged into a live socket.

Su Wan abruptly turned her head away, picking up her teacup to pretend to take a sip. But the rim of the cup rattled against her teeth, and the violent tremors sent hot tea spilling all over her hand. She was completely oblivious, desperately trying to maintain the last shred of her cold, aloof persona.

Xia Lian just looked lost, her small face flushed. She glanced from the Prince to Eldara and back again, feeling as if the world had become far too magical and had long since exceeded the limits of her understanding.

The old Duke opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but found himself utterly speechless. A prince who wasn’t addicted to women and only wanted to focus on his career… for the Kingdom, this seemed… was this actually a huge blessing in disguise?

Eldara’s crimson eyes scrutinized Alex. She could feel that his mental fluctuations were incredibly steady as he spoke; there wasn’t a shred of hypocrisy in his words. He genuinely believed this.

“Are you certain?” Eldara asked, confirming one last time.

“I am absolutely certain,” Alex bowed again. “Thank you for your ‘Blessing’; it has granted me a new life. I will carry this ‘Sacredness’ with me as I fulfill my mission as a Prince.”

Eldara was silent. She had imagined countless possibilities: the Human Prince crying and begging her to remove the curse, the Human King trying to bargain with her. The one scenario she had never anticipated was the recipient voluntarily requesting… to make it permanent.

Finally, she nodded. “As you wish. Then, this matter ends here—”

“I have an objection.”

A cold, resolute voice sliced through the oppressive silence of the Council Hall, sharp as a shard of ice.

[Elysian’s Note: Having a good time with the story? Every single bit helps immensely: