Although Kerridwen didn't know what had happened to Esdeath, she was certain that there was no disrespect or malice in the other's gaze...
Instead, it was a somewhat strange form of love?
Or perhaps loyalty?
Such a bizarre gaze made even Kerridwen feel a bit uneasy, sitting restlessly on her throne.
If Hysilens hadn't been supporting Kerridwen from the side, our noble Empress might have fallen off her chair, which was padded with books.
After all, this was Esdeath's love. Even though the current Esdeath hadn't yet grown into the sadistic queen from akame ga kill, that desire-filled gaze was indeed somewhat terrifying.
But Kerridwen absolutely could not back down!
She hadn't forgotten the identity of the person she was currently playing. Even if the situation before her was somewhat beyond imagination, Kerridwen had to maintain the dignity of a King.
"Dux Frigium, is the soldiers' training complete?"
"Of course. The current army is twice as strong as it was a week ago! If we encounter that army of sixty thousand again, we are fully capable of fighting them!"
Although the time was short, Esdeath had employed incredibly efficient methods to maximize the combat power of this army of over one hundred thousand in a very short period.
For the ordinary soldiers of this world, it was already an unprecedentedly massive improvement. After all, not everyone was a Teigu User or a Golden Descendants; she couldn't push them too hard.
Despite her hard work, the thought that Lord Caesar might reward her made Esdeath feel endless power surging within her.
"Very good!"
Kerridwen had seen Esdeath's hard work during this time. Although the other's gaze was a bit off, as long as she could be of use, Kerridwen would never refuse her and would even reward her.
"Dux Frigium, I am aware of your hard work during this period. Therefore, to make you even stronger in the future and to have you offer everything to me, I shall grant you a reward..."
A reward!
Esdeath, who was originally performing a knight's salute, immediately widened her eyes upon hearing those words.
Because just now at the door, Esdeath had already fantasized about Lord Caesar's reward for her.
Money, power... these things had become unimportant to Esdeath, because this future Queen of Ice already understood what she wanted.
Esdeath looked at Kerridwen, etching the other's image into her eyes with just a single glance.
The petite and cute body and appearance, the domineering and powerful personality and strength, and that fleeting, innocent smile... without a doubt, it was the person before her!
Esdeath hoped to be like Hysilens, able to stay by Lord Caesar's side forever and serve Lord Caesar with loyalty.
So, what was the reward?
Seeing Esdeath's expectant expression, Kerridwen casually placed her scepter on the table and snapped her fingers to call Hysilens to her side. After whispering a few words, Hysilens took action.
The black-haired beauty walked straight up to Esdeath and opened her arms, pulling the other into her embrace.
Esdeath:???
The girl was somewhat at a loss after being suddenly hugged. Although she did respect Lord Hysilens, if she could have a hug, wouldn't Lord Caesar be better?
Esdeath really wanted to shout out: "Onegai, if I could get a hug from Lord Caesar, I would do anything!"
But unfortunately, the girl's mouth had already been pressed against Hysilens's abdomen, and even if she wanted to speak, she could only make some muffled sounds.
This is... a crime right before my eyes!
Clearly, Esdeath had already defeated the Meela who was constantly provoking her in her mind, proving her loyalty to Kerridwen, but Kerridwen instead had Hysilens embrace Esdeath.
It's a triangle, Hatsuhana!
Wait, who is Hatsuhana?
"Dux Frigium!"
While Esdeath was at a loss, Kerridwen's voice came from beside her ear. The object of her loyalty had approached her at some point, and her tone was extremely serious.
"This is both my reward to you and my command to you. Do you see the water within the Daughter of the Sea's belly?"
"I command you, for the next month, you must drink at least one liter of the Daughter of the Sea's water every day, and you shall drink it right in front of me!"
These words were like a bolt of lightning striking Esdeath's head, causing the girl to show a conflicted expression for the first time.
Esdeath wanted to prove her loyalty to Caesar once again, but Caesar's command at this moment was asking her to abandon her loyalty... When such a contradictory situation arose, what choice would Esdeath make?
She had no way to make a choice!
Seeing Esdeath in this state, although Kerridwen didn't know what the other was thinking, showing consideration for subordinates was something a leader should do.
"Rest assured, Dux Frigium, this is merely a test for you... If you can pass it safely, what you will drink next will be mine."
Hearing this, Esdeath's eyes widened.
Although her brain had completely stopped working, her body subconsciously followed what Kerridwen had said earlier.
Without any tools, without even lifting the lid, Esdeath thus directly tasted the ocean within the Ocean Demigod's belly.
To be honest, it wasn't exactly delicious. Even compared to snowballs in the snow, it was far worse, and there was even a mysterious metallic scent of blood...
Esdeath had hunted Danger Beasts in the snow since she was a child, so she could naturally distinguish that this taste came from blood; she had seen too much of it.
But why?
Why would Lord Caesar do this?
—
Compared to the bewildered Esdeath, Kerridwen, who had her right hand on the other's shoulder and was carefully sensing the energy fluctuations, revealed a knowing smile.
As early as the beginning of her transmigration, Kerridwen had realized a problem. The Kerridwen and Hysilens she was playing seemed to be just programs evolved from the Emperor's Scepter within the world of honkai: star rail.
So, after these programs turned into actual flesh and blood, what kind of scene would they become?
And what would happen in the real world to things that could only occur within the Emperor's Scepter?
These questions were all troubling Kerridwen because she had no way of knowing the answers, and the system wouldn't give any hints, so Kerridwen could only explore on her own.
However, just now, through direct contact and then using a tiny bit of the authority of 'Law', she could very clearly feel that the sea on Hysilens's belly was not ordinary!
Although it manifested as translucent, bluish seawater, how could it be as simple as seawater?
After a simple test, Kerridwen was certain that the seawater in Hysilens's belly was her blood!
But it wasn't ordinary blood; it was blood that had undergone a certain degree of degradation and dilution, and its manifestation had transformed into the Ocean Demigod's...
Golden Blood!