When the plot-skips players into the game world

Clang~

Accompanied by the clear sound of metal collision, the handleless, blood-stained blade was casually discarded by Lily.

Minister Griffiths, bound in the grey spiderweb, hung his head low, having lost consciousness completely.

"Really loves to cause trouble..."

Lily muttered with disgust.

Under Lily's interrogation, he had become a blur of flesh and blood.

Lily also obtained very detailed intelligence.

Minister Griffiths held the strength of the third energy level in the Path of Authority. Before becoming a minister, he had graduated from the Royal Law University as a Legal Mage. Reaching the third energy level before the age of thirty was already a remarkable talent in itself.

At the same time, Lily could sense that he had the adaptability of the first level in the Path of Love.

But that was all the strength he had.

Having grown accustomed to high-level battles, Lily, when neutralizing a true third-level Transcendent by means of a sneak attack, didn't even leave him a chance to resist.

Throughout the process, the Shadow Demon didn't even have a chance to take action. Lily alone was enough to defeat Griffiths.

Using a web of lies and the control granted by "The Shadow's Apothecary", she completely overwhelmed Minister Griffiths before he could mount an effective counterattack. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire

Afterward, Lily alternated between violent interrogation with the Hawk Feather Dagger and controlling him with the "Love Elixir" associated with "The Shadow's Apothecary", quickly extracting all of Minister Griffiths' intelligence.

Part of the reason was that Griffiths had been without vigilance for far too long; another part was that Lily's equipment was simply too good.

But really, the most crucial reason was his own laziness.

He had been in Star Antimony for ten full years, yet his Path of Authority remained at the level it was a decade ago. Even with the added adaptability to the Path of Love, the level was too low. It did not contribute to the synergy of dual paths; instead, that surplus of "desire" became a drag on his main path's progress.

Lily, as a "Witch" with a higher level in the same path, used the "Love Elixir" capable of influencing up to the third level, left behind from the Bone Sculptor's relics, as a means of control. It was just right to dominate Griffiths. And a witch's magic potion had a very high suppression effect on Griffiths, who was lower in the same path, almost impossible to exempt.

In a different path, there might have been a chance to counter, but suppression from a higher-level in the same path was almost insurmountable.

Just like the Giant Prince from the Noble Red—the curse of his "Three Sins" was an unsolvable oppression for Demon Scholars of a lower level on the same path. Aiwass's escape was entirely dependent on the suppression of intelligence.

Lily was so ruthless because she knew Aiwass well enough.

Her master Aiwass was a very protective person. To a certain extent, he could be described as someone who favors kin over justice. In the current "closeness ranking" according to Aiwass, Miss Julia, who had grown up with him, dependent only on each other, undoubtedly occupied the first place.

—Aiwass even dared not let her know what he usually was up to.

When he engaged in something bad or dangerous, he would tell Lily several times not to inform Julia.

When Miss Julia first expressed the desire to become a Transcendent, she had the talent for Balance, Wisdom, Dedication, and Transcendence.

But among these choices, Aiwass directly ruled out the last two—he hoped Julia would become an Alchemist or a Mage, as these were relatively the safest careers. Normally, there was no need to go out, no need to deal with others, no need to face danger directly, the threat from Transcendent knowledge was less severe, and once expert, a certain level of self-protection and strength during the promotion ceremony was guaranteed.

Although Aiwass didn't force Julia to choose either of these professions, she was very smart—she easily sensed Aiwass's expectations and became an Alchemist.

...Of course, in Lily's view, Julia could never be considered "too weak" or a girl who "needed protection".

A girl who endured a high fever for years, yet managed to suffer quietly, maintaining calm and focused on her studies, never throwing a tantrum or crying out, must have unparalleled mental strength, something inconceivable to the ordinary person.

Although to Aiwass, she always seemed fragile… In reality, when Aiwass was not at home, it was Julia, three years his junior, who was the decision-maker in the household. All the servants respected her deeply, including Lily.

Moreover, Julia had a strange, inexplicable strength. Her body was weak, lacking in stamina, but occasionally, when she gathered her energy, she could exert force stronger than an adult man.

This was a secret known only among the servants. The old master James knew as well, but Edward and Aiwass were unaware.

She seldom displayed it in front of others, especially not in front of Aiwass, where she never made an effort to show strength... but on the night Aiwass encountered the Shadow Demon and fell unconscious, Julia simply picked him up herself.

Aiwass believed that it was Lily who had bathed him and Oswald who had carried him—but that was only half-true. Once Aiwass was inside, Julia took him away. Lily did help with the bath, but after the cleansing, it was Julia who carried Aiwass away.