I opened a clinic in the Abyss World

The Red Moon group had over 99 unread messages. I glanced at them and found that most of them were still discussing the nettle defense system and the magic plan for all members.

The fact that people from various cities and races have been sending their envoys to the Elf City in the past two days shows that the Elf City's pioneering nettle defense system has greatly shocked the continent of Aesop.

The plan to demonize everyone was hotly debated even within the Red Moon group, with some in favor and others against it.

Charlotte was diving and spying on the screen when the Black Stone suddenly trembled slightly.

The light chaser sent a new message.

[The Light Chaser: Shall we talk?]

Charlotte glanced at the paper spread out in front of her and the pen beside her, hesitated for a moment, and replied:

[Miracle: Where shall we meet?]

[The Light Chaser: Under the third tree on the left side of Elf Plaza.]

[Miracle: Okay, I'll be there in three minutes.]

Charlotte put away the black stone and immediately went out.

It's okay if the drawings are done later. If they're not finished tonight, we can continue drawing them tomorrow morning.

But if I don't go to see Maria tonight, I don't know when I'll see her again.

Maria is beautiful, but Charlotte is more concerned about her identity.

The young master of the Star Gazing Pavilion, the future master, is a figure of considerable status and prestige in the Los Empire.

Her great-grandfather outlived three kings and now holds a transcendent position in the Los Empire, to which even Cromwell has to show him deference.

Maintaining a good relationship with her will be beneficial for him to develop business interests in the Los Empire later on.

Cromwell was ultimately a threat to him, since Capas had tried to kill him before, but had failed.

Once you get involved with Maria, it's hard to say who will end up killing whom.

He lived right next to Elf Square; he turned left as he left the house and walked a few steps to see Elf Square.

He walked briskly for less than three minutes and arrived at the Elf Square. In the distance, he saw a woman in a long white dress standing under the third tree.

"Are you so sure I'd come?" Charlotte walked over.

"My intuition is usually very accurate, like this time," Maria said calmly.

"Did you call me out specifically for something?"

  

"There is indeed something I'd like to ask you," Maria said, looking at him. "It concerns the Demonic Transformation Technique."

Charlotte glanced at the passersby around her. "This isn't the place to talk about this."

"Shall we go to my room?" Maria looked at him and added, "I live nearby."

"This...isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Charlotte hesitated. "Didn't your great-grandfather live next door?"

"What are you worried about?" Maria asked with a slightly strange expression.

"I'm worried he'll misunderstand," Charlotte said seriously.

"Shall we go to your room?"

"I'm worried they'll misunderstand."

"So, where should we go?"

Charlotte glanced around, her eyes lighting up. "I've found a good spot. Are you afraid of heights?"

"I was looking at the stars from the ninth floor of the Star Gazing Pavilion when I was three years old. Do you think I'm afraid of heights?"

"That's good. I'll take you somewhere closer to the stars too." Charlotte grabbed Maria's hand and flew towards the Tree of Life. With light steps, she soared upwards from a secluded spot on the side, covering several meters in a single stride. In no time, they reached a height of seven or eight hundred meters.

Charlotte found a flat spot under a tree branch, stopped, and released her grip on Maria's slender waist.

Maria took a step back, her face slightly flushed. She had been dragged along by Charlotte's hand and then lifted up to the Tree of Life by his arm around her waist. This was the first time she had ever been so intimate with a man.

"Is this how you usually interact with girls?" Maria asked, her tone tinged with embarrassment and annoyance.

"No, not at all. I just thought this place had a beautiful view, so I wanted to bring you up here to enjoy it and chat about what we were talking about earlier." Charlotte said honestly. "If you feel uncomfortable, we can go downstairs."

Upon hearing this, Maria looked around. The Tree of Life was enormous, and although the place where they stood was just a branch, it resembled a small platform.

Here, seven or eight hundred meters above the ground and hundreds of meters above the temple above, the outward-reaching branches are unobstructed by leaves, offering a panoramic view of half of the elven city and the starry sky.

It truly is a place with beautiful scenery, quiet and comfortable.

Discussing private topics and doing things that can't be seen in public are both excellent options.

Charlotte had already taken out two comfortable armchairs and a small tea table from her spatial ring. While boiling water, she said, "Sit down. Drinking tea on the Tree of Life is an experience you might only have a few times in your life."

Maria sat down in a chair, watching Charlotte start a fire, and laughed, "Aren't you afraid of burning down the Tree of Life and becoming the common enemy of the elves?"

"No, we must use fire responsibly and be extremely careful." Charlotte was burning charcoal, brewing tea around the stove—a romantic Chinese scene.

"Now can we talk about the plan to demonize everyone?" Maria stared at Charlotte.

"You seem to have some reservations about this plan?" Charlotte asked, looking at her.

Maria said with some concern, "The demonic beasts that have been corrupted will all go crazy and lose their minds. If all the intelligent creatures on the continent of Aesop were corrupted, it's hard to imagine what would happen."

"Based on the current test results, after using nettle extract to remove the demonized state, one will immediately regain their sanity, and the body will not undergo any drastic changes."

"How long will it last? Will there be serious reactions after a year, three years, or ten years?" Maria pressed.

"I can't guarantee that. Three or ten years is too long. I only know that if we don't take immediate action now, many small and medium-sized cities will disappear every time there's a red moon," Charlotte said calmly. "Just like this red moon night."

Maria was stunned. The small and medium-sized cities that Charlotte mentioned had disappeared included the three imperial capital cities.

Charlotte looked at her calmly: "This is indeed a method that hasn't been repeatedly verified and doesn't have very accurate data to support it, but it's currently the only effective method for small and medium-sized cities. Using it might allow us to survive the night of the Red Moon, but we might suffer a backlash years later. However, if we don't use it, the next night of the Red Moon might destroy the entire city, and everyone would die together."

What are the side effects of everyone becoming demonized?

"The spellcasting mortality rate is around 10%, with the vast majority of those being the elderly, the weak, the sick, the disabled, and the young. Most young adults can survive. The demonization process is quite terrifying and painful, but overall it is still relatively controllable."

"One in ten people died..." Maria's face showed reluctance.

"It's better than everyone dying together. There's currently no way to avoid that 10% mortality rate."

Maria nodded slightly and fell silent.

The water boiled, and Charlotte began to make tea.

The tea was bought by Tohari; it's mountain tea from the northern Yunding Mountains, a very niche beverage.

The rolled-up fine tea leaves retain their tender green color. When brewed with boiling water, they float and sink in the cup, releasing a faint aroma of tea.

"This shouldn't be your decision yet, right? Why are you worrying about this?" Charlotte poured a cup of tea for Maria and said with a smile.

Maria paused for a moment upon hearing this, then a hint of anger flashed across her delicate face: "This concerns the Los Empire and even the continent of Aesop. Shouldn't we be concerned and involved?"

"You asked, so be it. Why bother about it?" Charlotte held a small cup in her hand, took a sip of tea, and leaned back comfortably in her chair. "I've been following this matter the whole time, but I've never been bothered by it. I leave everything to the Night's Watch and the Hermits. Their long lives have given them knowledge and wisdom that we can't match. Our thoughts are often naive and one-sided, yet we often regret it. Isn't that ridiculous?"

Maria turned her head to look at Charlotte. The moon was bright tonight, and the moonlight shone on his face, revealing a composure and calmness rarely seen in a young man.

This man is indeed different from others.

She took a sip of the tea; it tasted slightly bitter, but had a refreshing and pleasant aftertaste that invigorated her.

"Even now, we don't even know who we're fighting. The Red Moon has existed for over a thousand years, and the Red Moon Organization has been around for a thousand years. They've finally found a way, and they're bound to try it before most of the cities on the continent of Aesop are destroyed," Charlotte said calmly. "Moreover, they're probably not the only ones with this idea."

Maria was silent for a moment, then nodded.

As Charlotte said, this idea wasn't only shared by the Night's Watch and the Hermits, but also by her great-grandfather, the old Lord of the House known for his composure.

"So what do you think?" Maria asked Charlotte.

"If I didn't agree, why would I cooperate with them so wholeheartedly?" Charlotte smiled slightly, looking at Maria, and for the first time found the girl rather cute.

"Are you mocking me?" Maria instinctively clenched her fist.

"When we have no other choice, instead of lying down and waiting to die, why not try something?" Charlotte's smile faded. "This time, on the night of the Red Moon, we corrupted five cities. Those who survived the corruption process all lived. A large proportion of them were elderly people who would have died on the night of the Red Moon, as everyone thought."

Maria's mouth was slightly agape; this was the first time she had heard details about demonization.

"How does the demonization process occur?" Maria asked.

"A dark mage is needed to cast a demonization spell on the group, essentially planting a seed of demonic influence within the hearts of those affected. Then, they are given nettle extract and instructed to consume it beforehand. On the night of the red moon, those affected by the demonization spell will enter a state of demonic madness, but the nettle extract they consumed beforehand will quickly restore their sanity."

After being corrupted, the berserk monsters will regard them as one of their own, and even after regaining their sanity, they will no longer attack them, thus protecting the city from the beast horde. This happens in every corrupted city.” Charlotte told her many details about corruption.

Maria seemed thoughtful; this was different from some of her original assumptions.

"Martha, the Night's Watch's apprentice, was the first orc to recover after being corrupted by demonic possession. She was also the one who discovered the properties of nettles and brought them back. You traveled with her today; did you sense anything about her that made her different from ordinary people?" Charlotte added.

Maria's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Charlotte with disbelief: "Martha?"

She thought back carefully to the rather cute lion girl, and apart from being a bit outspoken, she didn't seem strange at all.

Her black cat had a somewhat eccentric personality, but that was about it.

"We can't control the decisions adults make. Just live your life well and do your job well, that's enough," Charlotte said with a smile, straightening up to pour herself a cup of tea.

Maria pondered for a moment, and upon careful consideration, she realized that Charlotte was right; even with her current status and position, she indeed lacked the power to influence decision-making.

Thinking too much will only add to your troubles.

"The moon is beautiful tonight. It's quite wonderful and interesting to enjoy the moon and drink tea with my friends," Charlotte said leisurely as she brewed the third cup of tea.

"You don't usually like to speak in group chats," Maria said, looking at him.

"I like diving."

"diving?"

"I just watch you guys chat quietly, without expressing any opinions."

"The purpose of the Night Watchers finding these nine black stones and establishing the Red Moon organization was to allow people from all over the world to express their views and opinions in real time, exchange ideas, and solve problems. If everyone were to lurk like you, what would be the point of the Red Moon group?" Maria sighed.

"I think what you said makes a lot of sense. I'll definitely talk more next time," Charlotte nodded.

"How are things between you and Elizabeth? I heard she broke through again during the Red Moon Night and is now a Star Knight." Maria suddenly changed the subject.

"Huh?" Charlotte was stunned for a moment. The spinning was so violent that it almost twisted his waist.

Maria pressed on, "Weren't you two childhood sweethearts, and even engaged? I heard that she broke off her engagement three years ago to save you. Did she like you?"

Charlotte looked at Maria, who had a gossipy look on her face. Sure enough, no matter what kind of woman she was or what kind of personality she had, she couldn't help but gossip in the end.

"Nothing has happened between us yet, and I haven't seen her in a long time," Charlotte said honestly.

"And then what?"

"Who knows what the future holds?" Charlotte looked at her. "What do you expect from us?"

"My great-grandfather said you have a flirtatious face and are not the kind of person who can settle down and live a stable life. If you marry Elizabeth and still dare to fool around outside, the outcome will not be very pleasant."

"Your great-grandfather was truly a divine being!" Charlotte said seriously, "Nonsense! I'm a respectable person."

Maria scrutinized Charlotte, but for a moment she couldn't find a way to refute his words.

Charlotte was surrounded by many beautiful girls, but he never laid a hand on any of them.

You should know that when these girls came to his side, they had no power to resist and even needed his help.

Such composure is unmatched by most men.

If you were to say he's a decent person, you'd find it hard to find anything to refute.

Maria's intuition told her that Charlotte didn't seem like a decent person, and her great-grandfather was absolutely right in judging people by their appearance.

Otherwise, why would Lois be so interested in him, why would those young girls surround him with such trust, and why would he have had so many scandals with Diana, his former fiancée Elizabeth...?

It's simply unconvincing to say that a man who has relationships with so many women is a pure white lotus.

"Have you met all the people in the Red Moon Organization?" Charlotte changed the subject and asked casually.

Maria shook her head: "No, besides the Night's Watch and the Hermits, you are the fourth member of the organization I have met."

Who is the third one?

"The Judge".

Charlotte was somewhat surprised: "You haven't seen the other members, but you have seen the Judge?"

Maria nodded, her expression slightly strange.

"What happened? What happened when he saw you?"

Maria was silent for a moment, then whispered, "He asked me to borrow money."

puff--

Charlotte spat out her tea.

This was the most outrageous gossip he had heard in a long time.

"Let me make this clear beforehand, I don't inherit his debts. No matter how much money he owes you, it's none of my business," Charlotte said seriously, putting down her teacup.

"I didn't lend it to him." Maria smiled slightly. "My great-grandfather wouldn't allow it."

Charlotte exclaimed, "Your great-grandfather had a good eye; he saw right through him that he wouldn't pay it back."

"When did he take you as his apprentice?" Maria asked curiously.

"I didn't become his apprentice," Charlotte shook her head.

"Then how did you learn his swordsmanship and movement techniques, and even wield his Judgment Sword?" Maria asked, puzzled.

"This..." Charlotte was taken aback. To say that he was self-taught and had become a legendary knight in just a few months was too amazing. She could only say, "He taught me some things in the past. Later, the hermit gave me the secrets of swordsmanship and movement techniques, and that's how I learned them. The Judgment Sword is the only thing he left me."

"I see." Maria said thoughtfully, looking at Charlotte with admiration, "Becoming a legendary knight in three years, your talent is not much worse than your fiancée's. If the two of you really rekindle your romance, you'll be able to roam freely across the continent of Aesop."

"I'm not a crab, why should I insist on walking sideways?" Charlotte shook her head.

"Are you worried that if you marry Elizabeth, you'll never dare to see other women again?"

Charlotte glanced at her; this woman was truly perceptive and hit the nail on the head.

Who wouldn't be afraid of having a super genius like Elizabeth by their side?

If she wants him to be devoted to her, what about Diana? What about Nancy's unborn child? What about Ruth, who is still striving to improve herself within the succubus clan? What about Kasha, who is skilled in massage and hypnosis?

What a shameless scumbag...

Grover's ability to judge people by their appearance was indeed well-deserved.

Even Charlotte herself started to worry.

Seeing that Charlotte didn't refute, Maria felt it was a bit absurd: "You're not satisfied with Elizabeth? You're such a womanizer."

"The moon is so beautiful tonight, and we can enjoy it alone. Why talk about those other things?" Charlotte poured her some tea. "We should be drinking. Drinking tea and admiring the moon just doesn't quite capture the essence of the experience."

Maria held her teacup, watching Charlotte brew the tea. Even she had to admit that he was indeed a very charming person. His handsome appearance, his meticulous care for women, and his wise conversation all contributed to increasing her liking for him.