Volume 1 Chapter 525

Chapter 525: A Night Without Words

This was an exceptionally long night for Lolth.

She lay awake the entire night.

Of course, for a succubus, missing a night’s sleep is hardly consequential.

But for Lolth, who typically ensures she gets ample rest each day without fail, this was somewhat out of the ordinary.

Cradling Dorothy as she slept made it surprisingly difficult for Lolth to relax and drift off.

The little girl in her arms breathed evenly and deeply, much like a cat curled up on one’s lap.

She was obedient and gentle, exuding a sense of complete "trust."

Thus, Lolth found herself admiring Dorothy’s peaceful sleeping face.

With their proximity so close, it became challenging for Lolth to maintain her role as just a "teacher."

In that fleeting moment, accompanied by Dorothy’s gentle breathing, their identities seemed to dissolve, and the lines between them blurred.

They were no longer teacher and student, nor were they the Demon Army’s advisor, an Abyssal Succubus, and the princess of the Golden Peacock, or the descendants of a legendary hero.

They were simply a sleeping girl and another girl who held her.

It even resembled the false identity Lolth had once told those mercenaries…

A pair of sisters journeying to distant lands.

"How lovely," Lolth thought to herself, her hand shifting from stroking Dorothy’s hair to gently poking her cheek.

Dorothy was sleeping so soundly that even when her cheek was poked, she merely mumbled a few incoherent sounds and did not wake.

After amusing herself with the sleeping Dorothy for a while, Lolth soon realized she had to stop.

The little girl was simply too endearing in her slumber, and Lolth feared that if she continued to gaze at her, their "sisterly" bond might take on a different tone.

Being adept at calming herself, Lolth began to exercise her magical thinking skills, posing herself questions to pass the time.

As she held Dorothy, occasionally patting her back, and solving problems in her mind, the night swiftly passed.

Whenever a creature’s roar or scream echoed from the depths of Black Lake Marsh, Lolth would gently cover Dorothy’s ears to ensure she remained undisturbed.

By the time dawn broke, Dorothy stirred awake in Lolth’s embrace.

"Mmm—ah…"

The girl stretched lazily and opened her sleepy eyes.

A full, dreamless night’s sleep had somewhat alleviated Dorothy’s "spiritual anomaly," allowing her to wake up quickly.

Before instinctively rising, Dorothy first noticed something unusual about the sensation beneath her.

It felt as though… she was resting on someone’s arm.

And she could detect a faint, soothing scent.

As Dorothy wondered, "What’s going on?", her mind promptly replayed the events of the previous night.

She recalled how she had taken advantage of "Teacher Lolth," who had been completely unprepared, and the embarrassing words she had uttered before falling asleep…

It was all vividly clear in her mind.

Dorothy, still somewhat groggy, instantly became fully awake.

Though her memories were absent, she understood that she had done something quite audacious.

A wave of shame belatedly washed over Dorothy.

But…

Having crossed a certain threshold the previous night, and with her memory loss seemingly lifting some kind of restriction, Dorothy allowed this feeling of shame to occupy her heart only momentarily.

Soon, her expression returned to calm.

By now, she was completely certain…

Regardless of whether she and "Teacher Lolth" truly had a conventional teacher-student relationship, it was undoubtedly more intimate than the typical understanding of such a bond.

At the very least, she certainly did not view Lolth merely as a teacher.

In Dorothy’s current perception, the rigid distinctions of different roles and titles that crossed racial and power boundaries simply did not exist.

When everything is transparent, only the essence remains visible.

And the essence of the relationship between Lolth and Dorothy, for Dorothy, was "admiration."

She admired "Lolth," regardless of whether Lolth was her teacher or not.

This was a fact that existed before her memory loss and a feeling that persisted even after.

Thus, this was the first thing Dorothy recalled.

She admired Lolth.

Without any doubt.

Thinking of this, Dorothy gently tilted her head and looked at Lolth.

"Good morning, Teacher Lolth."

As she spoke, she nestled even closer into Lolth’s embrace.

Lolth, noticing Dorothy was awake and seeing the smile in her eyes, softly smiled back.

"Good morning… Would you like some breakfast?"

Gently holding Dorothy, Lolth sat up and smoothed out her robe from the bedside.

Naturally, Lolth draped the robe over Dorothy’s head and helped her into it.

She disregarded Dorothy’s muffled protests of "I can do it myself, um, um, um."

"You’ve lost your memory and need to rest. Let me help you with this!"

Lolth stated firmly.

Whether it’s a teacher assisting a student or a sister helping a sister, aiding with dressing in the morning is not at all unusual.

Of course, Lolth was aware that Dorothy’s main issue was with her spirit, not any physical clumsiness.

But now, she couldn’t help but treat Dorothy as her own sister.

Especially when she considered that Dorothy seemed to have never experienced the warmth of "family love," she felt compelled to compensate her for it.

After holding her all night… Lolth finally understood.

How small and light Dorothy’s body was.

A peaceful night’s sleep was probably a luxury for her.

Since she had temporarily forgotten those painful memories, at least before her memories returned…

She should let Dorothy believe that her normal life should be this comfortable.

This was what Lolth thought.

After helping Dorothy put on her clothes, she took out two egg sandwiches that she had prepared and kept cold in her bag.

Although they were cold, they still had a unique flavor as egg sandwiches.

After Dorothy finished eating, her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"Teacher… this is really good."

"There are many things that are even better," Lolth said with a smile, shaking her head, "and you’ll be able to make them too…"

After all, in Lolth’s eyes, Dorothy was the one who would inherit her culinary legacy!

After finishing breakfast, Lolth and Dorothy left the tent.

The early rising mercenaries also started to pack their gear, preparing for a new day’s journey.

Although not all monsters are active at night, darkness is never a safe place for humans.

Exploring Black Lake Marsh at night, which is a Life Exclusion Zone, is three times more dangerous than during the day.

Moreover, the number of monsters active at night is indeed greater than during the day.

This leads to the fact that… daytime is much more precious than nighttime.

Unless there is a special situation, mercenaries must be ready to start exploring in the early morning before the sun fully rises.

Valuing the daylight hours is like giving yourself extra protection for your life.

The mercenaries are quite aware of this.

Therefore, most mercenaries do not have a habit of eating breakfast. Those in physically demanding Fighter roles, such as traditional warriors and knights, grab some rations while tidying up to get through their morning meal.

Only before resting at night do they all gather together to eat.

"Good morning, Her Excellency Doyle!"

"Good morning to you all as well."

Because Lolth’s treatment yesterday was very quick and effective, she has gained the goodwill of these mercenaries beyond her "identity."

Many people greeted Lolth, and she smiled back at each one.

Watching them extinguish the campfire, pack up their campsite, gather their tools to chase away monsters, and conceal their presence, Lolth also took the chance to feed a regular carrot to the horse.

This seemed to show a hint of disdain on the expressive face of the former war horse.

However, in front of these mercenaries, Lolth couldn’t really take out the top magical ingredients to feed the horse.

She had to keep her wealth a secret.

The mercenaries worked efficiently and soon they could move again.

The banner of the massive mercenary group soared high once again, and the deputy leader, a female knight, mounted her giant bear-like magical beast, her voice resonating with vigor.

"Forward!"

The team ventured further into the depths of Black Lake Marsh.

Though, not too deep.

However, this time… the journey was not as smooth as before.

For Lolth, the group had expanded significantly, and within less than an hour of their journey, they encountered an unexpected situation, which was quite typical for this Life Exclusion Zone!

As they passed by a stretch of water, suddenly more than a dozen tentacles sprang out and assailed the group!

These tentacles appeared to belong to a collective magical entity, each possessing strength akin to Elite Level.

They swiftly ensnared several individuals, appearing without warning, and engaged in a balanced skirmish with the mercenaries who promptly counterattacked.

Lolth, positioned at the rear of the group, and Dorothy, who was on horseback, remained untouched, though a nearby tentacle, flinging mud, was merely about two meters away from the two girls.

To prevent Dorothy from feeling frightened, Lolth symbolically shielded her by positioning herself behind the horse.

Glancing back at the girl on the horse, Lolth noticed no trace of fear on her face.

Instead, Dorothy was blinking her eyes and gazing at her.

"Master Lolth," Dorothy gently tugged at the reins and leaned forward, "I think I can sense the level of this magical creature formed by many others…"

"It must be around the initial stage of Superlative Level, right?"

Dorothy inquired with a hint of uncertainty.

She also had some memory loss regarding extraordinary knowledge.

Lolth nodded gently.

"Yes, that is already the strength of a great mercenary leader."

Since Dorothy appeared completely unafraid, Lolth felt a slight urge to tease her.

After all, last night in the tent, this little girl had not been particularly courteous with her master.

But upon hearing Lolth’s words, Dorothy still showed no fear.

"That’s still far from being as strong as you, teacher."

Hearing this, Lolth displayed a look of surprise.

"Hmm, do you remember some things now?"

"Yes… but it’s all about the teacher," Dorothy said, gently tapping her head. "After taking a nap, it seems I really have remembered a lot along the way."

Lolth nodded in response.

"It’s good that you remember!"

Then, she sensed that something was still amiss.

"It’s all about the teacher," "I remembered a lot along the way"…

So, besides her own strength, what else did this little girl remember?

And it seems Dorothy deliberately glossed over that part.

Before Lolth could attempt to inquire indirectly, Dorothy spoke again.

"Um… Teacher Lolth, so you don’t need to take action?"

The little girl asked with some curiosity.

"Yes, after all, ‘Doyle’ is just an Elite Level priest of The Church of Light," Lolth said, observing the mercenaries who were fighting valiantly, her expression serene. "Don’t worry, they can handle it… And I will assist with what an Elite Level Holy Light Pastor can do."

As Lolth spoke, she gently waved the Rod of Eden, which now appeared as an ordinary staff.

"Great God of Light, grant your people strength, shielding them from the adversities of fate."

"Allow them to repel evil, allow them to purify their enemies… Your benevolence and magnanimity will be disseminated by the hands of your people."

She devoutly chanted the prayer for the divine spell, as though she were a genuine priest of Light, her tone refined and professional, exuding a profound sense of emotion and faith.

The power of Holy Light softly emanated, illuminating each mercenary, augmenting their weapons and spells, infusing their magic with a hint of "purification."

A simple level three divine spell, "Light of Purification."

But against the chaotic magic and intricate creatures of Black Lake Marsh, the mercenaries’ attack power was amplified several times over.

This is simple attribute restraint!

The power of the God of Light has never been intended for saving lives since its inception.

"Purification" is the authority most frequently wielded by the compassionate deity that The Church of Light venerates.

The more chaotic, evil, and bloodthirsty the creatures are, the more they will be restrained by purification-type divine spells.

It is no surprise that Black Lake Marsh is like this.

These tentacle monsters dwelling in the mud pull down anyone who passes by without a word… what else could they be?

It can’t be that they have a tea house under the marsh and are inviting mercenaries for tea!

Therefore, under the attack imbued with pure "purification" of Holy Light, the moment these tentacles touched it, they sizzled as if encountering strong acid, and white smoke began to rise from their surfaces!

Then, as if in pain, they quickly released the mercenary, slowed their assault, and retreated back into the swamp!