Genshin Impact: I, the Winter Prince, reign supreme.

The patrol was on high alert, and the leading guard asked sternly, "What's your name?"

The woman said coldly, "You are not worthy to know."

The guard was furious and brandished his sword, warning the woman, "I will count to three. Put down the Eye of God and surrender!"

The woman dismissively said, "A bunch of ants," and then ignored her.

As the countdown reached its third beat, someone broke into the encirclement.

Upon seeing the familiar six-winged hair ornament, the patrol team respectfully greeted, "[Young Lady]."

Colombia waved her hand, ordering the patrol to retreat.

The patrol team struggled to understand, but they had to follow orders. A dozen or so members put away their weapons, lined up in neat rows, and took ten steps back.

Columbia said, "Continue to back away."

The patrol team retreated another ten steps.

Columbia continued, "Retreat again!"

After retreating repeatedly more than ten times, the patrol team was back to a distance of more than a hundred meters. Only then did Columbia look at the woman and say, "I have set up a barrier. No one can hear our conversation, not even the Queen."

The woman twirled a strand of hair between her fingers and said with some surprise, "You came faster than I expected. Columbia, you haven't been slacking off all these years, and your strength has improved quite a bit."

Columbia did not explain the reason for Xiaoqing's guidance, but replied, "The Eye of God has not appeared in the Winter Kingdom for nearly five hundred years. The commotion you caused was too great, and the aura of the Eye of God was too strong, making it easy to be discovered."

The woman smiled sinisterly, "You're still just as bad at lying as you were during your trial back then. But I don't care how you knew I was here so quickly. The fact that you showed up as promised back then at least shows that you still care about your people."

Columbia roared, "How are they? I'm warning you, if anything happens to them, don't even think about using me again!"

Dissatisfied with Columbia's attitude, the woman coldly said, "My time is running out, let's get down to business. You used your mental storm to kill that Abyss Emperor, exposing your identity as a descendant of the Celestial Spirit Clan. Now the Abyss is reacting very strongly, and several kings in the Abyss have listed you as a top threat. You ruined Sky Island's plan to destroy the Abyss, and the price is that some of your people will be executed tonight."

Columbia was overwhelmed with grief at the thought of her people's tragic deaths. She struggled to control her sorrow and angrily declared, "You dare harm my people? We'll fight to the death! Try me if you dare!"

The woman chuckled and said, "I might have believed that before. But now, that transmigrated being has formed a karmic entanglement with you. Are you willing to leave him?"

Columbia's spirits immediately deflated; the courage she had just mustered to resist vanished in an instant. She was willing to risk her own life for the safety of her people, but what about His Highness the Prince?

Seeing her silence, the woman said smugly, "Listen, Columbia, Sky Island has lost faith in you and decided to make a new deal with you. That's why I risked exposing my undercover identity. From now on, you must do everything in your power to stop and sabotage Prince Winter's plan to rebel against the laws of nature, and use his feelings for you to betray him at the crucial moment."

Columbia's voice trembled slightly as she bit her lip and said, "I refuse!"

The woman sneered, "Think about your people. They live in misery every day, yearning for your return to save them. Do you have a choice?"

"Those annoying fellows are almost here. The message has been delivered. We look forward to your performance. Don't disappoint the adults of Sky Island. You know their methods well. Killing your people may violate some taboos, but the price is entirely within your acceptable range."

"Think it over carefully before making a decision. Goodbye, Columbia, I'll be waiting for you in heaven."

The Eye of God erupted with dazzling light, and terrifying energy annihilated the woman's body.

The next second, Piero, the "clown," arrived with several executives.

[Captain] Capitano extended his right hand, and a follower handed him a sharp broadsword. He inserted it into the pool of ashes on the ground, where a few embers still lingered. After a careful examination, he concluded the autopsy: "Died from spontaneous combustion."

Rosalyn scoffed, “Interesting. A spy from Sky Isles has appeared in Winterhold, and we knew nothing about it. There’s every reason to suspect that our intelligence system is malfunctioning and failed to detect that the enemy has infiltrated. The spy exposed her identity by obtaining the Eye of God, and then used the power of the Eye of God to self-immolate. I’m really curious what she said before she died.”

Arecino, the head of the intelligence system and her servant, glanced at Rosalyn and said, "Stop talking nonsense. Taipei is your area of ​​responsibility. Don't you have any responsibility at all?"

Just as the two were about to argue, [Puppet] Sandonne said, "The Adventurers' Guild has some intelligence. Ten years ago, this person, due to financial difficulties, took on several adventure missions from Catherine, but most were just odd jobs, yielding no valuable clues. For a spy sent from Sky Isle to live in such poverty, indistinguishable from other ordinary people in Winterhold, and to be so well hidden, must be a seasoned spy. Furthermore, she has sent almost no intelligence outwards in these ten years, so it's normal that she wasn't discovered. What Rosalind mentioned earlier is very important; she could have continued to lie low, and her sudden exposure must have had a very important reason. Columbia, what did she say before she died?"

[The Clown] Piero remained silent, but his thoughts were basically the same as those of the executives.

The last person to speak face-to-face with the spy was Columbia, and only she knew the answer.

Concerned about her privacy and distraught, the young woman, Columbia, had no intention of answering any questions and said, "I will personally explain the matter to Her Majesty the Queen tomorrow."

The patrol team cleared the battlefield, and the officers returned to their respective residences.

When Columbia returned home, someone was already waiting for her at the door.

Wearing a mink shawl and jewels, dressed in luxurious attire, she was none other than Katerina, the duke's daughter whom I had seen on the street earlier that day, leading a vicious dog that had killed countless people.

Several servants stood at a distance, watching this side with ill intent. You could vaguely hear them whispering, saying that the residence of the dignified executive was so shabby that there wasn't even a single guard.

The vicious dog, startled by Columbia's glance, tucked its tail between its legs and tried to flee. The duchess kicked the dog away, muttered "useless thing," and then smiled, "Columbia, I bought some pretty hair clips today. There are butterfly-shaped ones, dragonfly-shaped ones, and various flower-shaped ones. Which one do you like?"

The dozen or so hairpins were inlaid with precious gems and were worth a fortune. Any one of them could be sold outside for enough Mora to buy an entire manor on the most bustling main street in Winterhold.

Because of her affection for His Highness the Prince, the Duchess's daughter has always regarded her as her greatest rival. Although she is an executor, the Duchess's daughter also comes from a distinguished family. Her father was responsible for guarding the northern border, where the wars were most frequent. He spent his entire life fighting against the alchemical machines and dark creatures that emerged from the ruins of Kanria, and made countless contributions. He can be called a hero of the Winter Kingdom. Even though the Duchess's daughter had spread rumors and slandered her many times before, His Highness the Prince only criticized her without hesitation each time they met, without taking any severe measures.

Although His Highness later explained that he did not want to make things difficult for a woman, she always believed that His Highness was more concerned with the issue of unity, after all, the daughter of the duke had given strong support to the serf reform movement.

Besides being spoiled and extravagant, the most striking thing about this duke's daughter is her thick skin. Despite the prince's repeated rejections of her advances, he persists in pursuing her. I wonder what kind of scheme he has up his sleeve tonight when he comes to deliver a hair clip.

Unaware of Columbia's true thoughts, the duchess's daughter smiled and said, "Since you don't speak, I'll take that as your agreement. You've taken my hairpins, so I want something from you as an exchange. I'd like to trade these hairpins for the six-winged hair ornament on your head."

Columbia, who was clearly going to refuse, still asked, "Why?"

The duke's daughter replied dreamily, "His Highness the Prince likes it."

Columbia didn't laugh at her, nor did she say, "His Highness likes me for who I am." Instead, she became extremely wary. This duke's daughter was adept at persistent pursuit, and she couldn't guarantee that His Highness's attitude wouldn't change in the future. It wasn't surprising that she was petty; having lived long enough, she had seen a lot, and a man's change of heart could happen in an instant.

She hadn't paid much attention to the duke's daughter before, but tonight she realized that this woman was deeply in love with His Highness the Prince. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, she said, "I'm sorry, the six-winged hair ornament is a family heirloom. If you really want it, find a skilled tailor to make one."

The duchess's daughter seemed not to hear, still staring at the six-winged headdress on her head, and slowly said, "Columbia, I've sent the servants away. I have some things on my mind to say. The biggest difference between you and me lies in our status and position. The duchess's daughter is merely a descendant of a nobleman. She can be noble in a way, but she can also be ordinary. She can't compare to the unique executor in terms of fame. But precisely because of this, perhaps I am more suitable to be a queen than you. I would like to ask you to step down and allow His Highness the Prince to be with me."

Colombia scoffed, "Unfounded confidence."

The duke's daughter explained, "You are the executor of the Winter Kingdom, bearing the expectations of the people, fighting against the laws of nature. You must follow His Highness the Prince into battle. Can you guarantee you won't die in battle, or can you guarantee His Highness won't die? Regardless of ultimate success or failure, His Highness must leave behind an heir before the campaign. I, who will remain behind, am undoubtedly the most suitable woman. Columbia, you can give His Highness happiness, but you cannot leave him an heir..."

Colombia was like a cat whose whiskers had been plucked, her fur standing on end. Her invisible spiritual power dispersed the snowflakes in the sky as she angrily shouted, "Nonsense! His Highness the Prince will not die, nor will I. The great cause of rebelling against the laws of heaven will surely succeed by the winter!"

The duke's daughter was startled, but still insisted on her idea, "Columbia, Her Majesty the Queen secretly met with my father, hoping that he would assist the new Ice Queen in ascending the throne after her accident. In order to conquer the Heavenly Justice, Her Majesty the Queen has made arrangements for her own affairs in advance. What are your and His Highness the Prince's chances of winning? If you really love him, please carefully consider my request."

Chapter 208 Becoming a Pair of Fireflies

P.S.: I added two thousand words of important plot details to the previous chapter, you can go back and take a look.

……

The young woman, the third-ranking executive officer of the Fools of the Winter Kingdom, faced a dilemma for the first time in her life, unsure of what to do. Despite leaving the duke's daughter with an angry back view, she returned to her warm and cozy room, resting her chin on her hand, deep in thought.

What the duke's daughter just said was undoubtedly wishful thinking. Even if she withdrew voluntarily, His Highness the Prince might not choose her. However, there is some truth to what she said: the great war against the laws of nature is destined to be fraught with danger. Everyone who decides to participate should make proper arrangements for their affairs beforehand. And a man as outstanding as His Highness the Prince, who has left behind a bloodline for the Kingdom of Winter, will not be subject to any criticism.

The crucial problem is that she is currently incapable of fulfilling this role. Just now, a divine eye suddenly appeared, awakening a spy from Sky Island who had been infiltrating Winterhold for over a decade, delivering vital instructions. Sky Island was threatening her entire tribe's lives, forcing her to do something she didn't want to do. Although her feelings for her tribe were less than her feelings for Winterhold, the life and death of her entire tribe, as well as her parents' lives, concerned her, forcing her to seriously consider the matter.

Avenging the heavens is His Highness's goal and Her Majesty the Empress's wish. Whoever stops the Winter Kingdom from rebelling against the heavens will be a sinner in history. She would rather die than be hated by His Highness for the rest of her life. Moreover, no one in the world can stop His Highness's determination. The army of the Winter Kingdom will surely set foot on Sky Island in the future, and even if they wanted to stop it, it would be impossible.

Therefore, only one option remains: destruction.

They tried every means to sabotage Zhidong's plan to rebel against the laws of nature.

But she could never do such a thing; it would mean betraying His Highness the Prince and the Ice Queen, and betraying the oath she took when she joined the Kingdom of Winter.

The prince's sweet words echoed in her ears every day, and her longing surged like a tidal wave. How could she possibly ruin the grand blueprint drawn up by the man she loved? The Ice Queen had only told her the secret of the Primordial Ice Elemental Dragon King, so how could she betray such immense trust?

Colombia had never felt so conflicted and fearful as she did tonight, because one wrong step could lead to utter ruin.

Suddenly, a faint fragrance wafted through the air.

Looking up, I saw a pot of sunflowers on the table.

When she left the rural tent camp, she lied and said she had given it to an old woman by the roadside, but she had secretly taken it back with her. It was a beautiful testament to the time she spent with His Highness the Prince, and it would be a great pity to give it away or throw it away.

His Highness the Prince liked sunflowers because they always face the light. He also told her that all living beings are like tiny insects, and that she and he should be a pair of fireflies to light up the dark world.

But there will always be corners in this world where even the light cannot reach.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. For the sake of my people, I may not be able to walk with you any longer. Perhaps I belong to the darkness, and thank you for bringing me… light.”

A string of glistening tears fell to the ground, but turned into pearls that were even more translucent than ice.

That night, the songs in the Kingdom of Winter were extremely sorrowful. Many people woke up with tears still on their faces. In their dreams, the people recalled the scenes of saying goodbye to the most important people in their lives.

Everyone was eager to know what had happened to the singer last night, and everyone was worried about her. However, this worry was quickly dispelled by some good news.

His Highness the Prince, who was visiting Liyue, defeated the Liyue Sages with a perfect record and won the Liyue Go Tournament!

Chapter 209 Inviting His Highness the Prince

Sumeru City.

A young girl wearing a crop top, sandals, and a double-horned hair ornament stood at the entrance of a gambling den on the street corner and couldn't help but start dancing joyfully. Although there was no music, the graceful dance of this dancer from the Zubair Theater quickly attracted the attention of passersby in the Grand Bazaar.

Whether they were mercenary groups who had risked their lives, learned scholars of Sumeru, or merchants visiting Sumeru City, they all stopped and spontaneously applauded and clapped along.

As a result, more and more people joined in the joyful dancing, and the entire Grand Bazaar was filled with laughter and joy.

On the side of the street, an old woman selling fruit saw the blisters on the dancer's toes, rubbed the tears in her eyes, and at the same time made a devout gesture to pray for this year's Flower Goddess Festival.

These elderly women of Sumeru City had witnessed the grand celebrations of the Flower Goddess's Birthday Festival every year, memories that were among the most beautiful in the lives of every Sumeru resident. However, since the Little Auspicious Grass King ascended to the throne as the God of Wisdom, the Order of the Church began to restrict the holding of the Flower Goddess's Birthday Festival. In the last ten years or so, the Order of the Church has even ordered a ban on celebrating this festival, resulting in many children today not even having heard of the Flower Goddess's Birthday Festival. Perhaps in a few more years, the next generation will completely forget this festival.

But today, she saw a sense of tradition in these energetic young people, which deeply moved her. There is also a group of young dancers who are upholding tradition and have not forgotten the ancient festivals.

Especially the dancer in the center, named Nel, is facing immense pressure from the Order of the Church, yet she is still working hard to organize this year's Flower Goddess Festival, which is no easy feat.

Moreover, the old woman knew that Nel was so happy today because she had borrowed a lot of money from Miss Dinazede and placed a large bet on the legendary Prince Winter at the gambling den. Nel had believed from the beginning that the Prince Winter would defeat the immortals of Liyue and win the Go tournament.

The latest news has proven Nel's judgment correct. The Prince of Winter has won a complete victory, and Nel's Mora has tripled in value. This amount is enough to cover all the expenses for the Flower Goddess's Birthday Festival.

Through her teary eyes, the old woman seemed to see a little girl standing on the street corner, wearing a green dress, with a gray side ponytail and pointed ears. Her bright green pupils were as clear as emeralds. But when she looked more closely, the little girl suddenly disappeared. She sighed that her old eyes were failing.

The old woman's thoughts were collected by the void terminal beside her ear. The little girl with the gray ponytail exclaimed in surprise, "Eh?" but then couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes. Standing on the street corner, she muttered to herself, "In the end, no one can see me... Sigh. I wonder which country Prince Zhidong will visit next. If he comes to Xumi, maybe he can help me. In just three years, he has transformed Zhidong into the strongest country among the seven kingdoms. Even the God of Wisdom needs his wisdom."

The lively dance hadn't ended when a commotion erupted from the other side of the street. Several scholars from the Order of the Church arrived menacingly, gave Nel a stern warning, and then dispersed the crowd. One of the scholars, as he left, ripped the flower wreath from Nel's neck and hurled insults at her, saying that if he ever saw Nel dancing at the Flower Goddess's Birthday again, he would have her imprisoned.

Nilu was terrified. After the people from the Order of the Church left, she squatted on the ground and cried sadly. She gradually stopped sobbing with the comfort of her companions.

A beautiful woman who had heard the news came to comfort her, saying, "Nilu, everyone will support you, don't be afraid."

Nilu asked, feeling wronged, "Miss Dinazede, why is the Order of the Church treating the Little Lucky Grass King like this? The Flower Goddess's Birthday Festival is to commemorate the birthday of the Grass God, and it used to be the grandest festival in Sumeru."

Dina Zede gently hugged her and said, "The attitude of the Order of the Fathers does not represent everyone. You and I, and everyone else, all love the Little Lucky Grass King. We cannot give up; this year's Flower Goddess Festival will definitely proceed as scheduled. By the way, I have carefully studied that Prince of Winter. Mondstadt and Inazuma have undergone tremendous changes, which are inseparable from Prince Winter."

Nilu wiped away her tears and asked, "Do you want to ask him for help?"

Dina Zede cautiously looked around to make sure there were no spies from the Order of the Fathers before quietly telling Nel, "It's the Little Lucky Grass King. I've been having a lot of dreams lately, and the Little Lucky Grass King gave me some hints."

Nilu blinked incredulously and asked, "Did the Little Lucky Grass King really appear in your dream?"

Dina Zede nodded and said, "What the Little Lucky Grass King means is that our power is too weak to fight against the huge Church Council, so we need to rely on external forces. If the Prince of Winter arrives in Sumeru before the Flower Goddess's Birthday Festival, we can ask him for help."

Nilu's eyes lit up and she said, "Then let's contact him through the Void Terminal as soon as possible."