Chapter 1241 - 1241: D545.NEXUS

"Then, please tell us your next strategic policy, Acting Queen."

"...M-me?"

Bathed in the unified gazes of over a thousand Moon People, the Hero couldn't help swallowing nervously.

It wasn't like she'd never faced more eyes than this before, but the fact that over a thousand faces looked so alike, their movements practically identical, still sent a shiver crawling over her skin.

"Of course. Other than you, is there anyone else here who can serve as Acting Queen?" One of the two Moon People who'd led her here shrugged, as if it were only natural.

The next instant, a certain Moon Person in the crowd—or, more accurately, one of the High Priest's split bodies—suddenly raised an arm and shouted.

"Please guide us, Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

"Our new Queen! Please lead us to victory over this wicked city!"

"Prophesied Hero, Prophesied Hero!"

The surrounding Moon People also followed suit, cheering and hooting. In just a few breaths, the ancient hall that had been solemn and dignified a moment ago turned into absolute chaos.

Watching this self-directed, self-performed ruckus, the Hero couldn't help showing a helpless look.

"Uh..."

"Just call me Priestess. After all, at this point, even if you knew my name, it wouldn't really mean anything." A Moon Person beside the Hero said with a smile. "If anything, if it weren't so troublesome, I'd actually prefer you use these people's original individual names when you address them."

She looked around at the Moon People who were happily cheering, her tone gradually Softening.

"Although right now it's my unconscious that's directing their actions, one day they'll take back their own will and emotions and return to their ordinary lives. Since that's the case, I shouldn't leave too many traces of myself on them.

"I know your current situation really is quite dire, but Priestess, aren't you all being a bit..." The Hero trailed off.

Because while the two of them were talking, those other Moon People—who should also have been under the Priest's control—had actually unified their pitch on their own and started singing a hymn that was obviously just made up on the spot.

"Hero~ Hero~ swears by the Holy might~

Your Majesty~ Your Majesty~ quickly dispel the Chaos blight~

When the Moonlight falls from the sky~

All filthy evils will surely die~

Hero~ we~ pray for your guiding light~"

"Stop, stop, just stop..." The Hero couldn't help raising a hand and fanning beside her slightly hot cheek, trying to dispel the heat that kept rising up.

When she'd come here, the Priest she'd seen during her earlier Lineage Awakening had still looked all mysterious and solemn...

'Please. From the moment she snuck up behind someone and you punched her flying, this one stopped counting as anything resembling "proper".'

The Depraved Hero roasted her mercilessly.

'Don't tell me she's been cooped up in this cesspit so long she's gone completely psycho?'

'Don't make it sound so awful...' But the Hero actually felt much the same.

"You're trying to say I'm too worked up, or maybe too cheerful?" A nearby Priest chuckled.

"In truth, this is also a last-resort kindness on my part." Then another Priest showed a slightly sorrowful expression.

"After all, the Moon People's emotions have long since been almost completely worn away." Yet another Moon Person spoke up.

"So even if it's only superficial, I want to leave as many traces of 'happiness' as I can in their bodies' memories, let them subconsciously learn how to express their own emotions." The dizzying chain of relayed words continued.

"Besides, this also slows the Moon Capital's erosion to some extent. It's like using my externalized emotions to wrap up what little self they have left, so that faint little spark won't be snuffed out completely." A Moon Person paused mid-hymn and let out a wry smile.

"Or is it that Your Majesty doesn't like things this way?" They all showed the same lonely look.

"Of course not!" Seeing their disappointed faces, the Hero hurriedly denied it.

'This is totally just because she likes doing it herself.' The Depraved Hero snorted.

Because even though the conversation was ongoing, the hymn still hadn't stopped, leaving the Hero briefly at a loss for how to react.

"Ahem, but for now, at least have everyone lower their voices a bit. It's too noisy, it's hard to talk properly."

She cleared her throat lightly, forcing the topic back on track. "And you still haven't told me what you meant earlier by 'making a big scene' and this so-called strategic policy."

"All right, since you insist..." The Moon People regretfully stopped the hymn, and then the Priest smiled, somewhere between amused and not.

"But, Your Majesty truly doesn't understand?"

If the Hero here were still in her Second Transformation Period, she really wouldn't have been able to grasp the true meaning hidden in the Priest's words.

But since the Nature of this whole experience as a sort of Illusion Realm simulation had already been seen through, the Hero no longer had any reason to deny it.

"Of course I understand, it's just..."

Just as the Priest had said before, this whole experience was, in essence, nothing more than a kind of Illusion Realm scenario for the Hero.

As long as she didn't betray her own heart, she didn't need to care about winning or losing in the moment; she could act however she pleased.

In a previous simulation, hadn't she already lost once to the Corrupted Phoenix? Likewise, even if she lost to the Moon Capital here, nothing would change in reality, so she could cast aside all hesitation and boldly try out all kinds of approaches.