The Villain Princess survived the Imperial Riot

"Because it's to stop the worms from coming?"

"There was such speculation hundreds of years ago, but it's outdated now," Aynive said excitedly. "Have you, Princess, ever heard of the veil behind the dream?"

"Witch." Hestia said softly.

"Yes, yes, it's the witch." Aynive opened her arms, as if embracing the entire palace. "I've read countless records of the battles between mystics and witches here, and I've also read countless blasphemous knowledge written by witches. This means that three thousand years ago, or even earlier, Meng Su's enemies in the Corruption War were more than just worms! So I have a guess—"

She lowered her voice and spoke in a captivating narrative rhythm.

"The witch is the culprit behind the solution to the Void Light!"

Volume 1: Dreamer: Reflections on the Release

First of all, Chapter 31 was temporarily removed due to a few keywords, and the review was too sensitive for me to handle.

Next up is this book. Back in June, I originally wanted to write a pirate novel, set in a fantasy setting, centered around the last golden age of piracy in the early 18th century. It would also be about a unified continental empire. The protagonist is a princess of a fallen nation, the Princess of Fran, who, oppressed by the empire, is forced to rely on her exceptional business sense, oratory, and natural talent for finding prey to embark on a legendary tale of exploring the Grand Route, plundering, burning and killing coastal lords, and robbing the rich to give to the poor.

To this end, I rewatched Pirates of the Caribbean, searched for videos and resources about 18th-century pirates, and finally completed Assassin's Creed: Black Flag. A pirate group practicing absolute democracy but inherently brutal and ruthless, regardless of how dire the real-life history, can certainly create a magnificent story in a fantasy world. The battle for cursed ships, the exploration of mythical ruins, the customs of indigenous peoples and colonial wars, the struggle for continental supremacy and the division of empires can all become battlefields for the protagonist to roam.

A loyal old paladin, a renegade dark elf first mate, a naive shipwright, a greedy warehouse goblin, devils and goblins who join the gang for various reasons, a jumble of races and creatures, and finally, a sailor forced to turn to pirates due to widespread unemployment during the truce in the great naval battle. The entrances and exits of these many characters could create highly engaging plot twists. Even the legendary pirate abducting a Mughal princess (actually an exaggeration and fabrication) could be incorporated into the plot with minor modifications.

But there were so many signs of failure that I couldn't count them all, so I gave up.

After that, I simply wanted to write a story about a villainous princess who possessed the protagonists one by one. However, after considering this setting, I felt that it didn't suit me. Many readers like to criticize it, but after too much of it, I've seen comments like, "It's just constant posting with no real plot, worse than other industrial sugar or watching porn sites." This may have something to do with the author's talent. Some authors who write purely about emotions have many readers, while others just flop.

So I added esoteric elements according to my own ideas. However, I've already failed at this element. Even many of the "historical events" and "root settings" in this book, aside from the esoteric veneer, are mostly taken from previous settings. The map and political structure of this book are also directly inherited from the pirate novel, with some adjustments outside of the mainland.

It can be seen that there are more and more failures, which made me extremely anxious for a while.

So it’s better not to be a princess of a fallen country, but to be a beastly princess. It’s hard to say whether there is a desire to vent in it.

This book's statistics are truly abstract: 28 followers, 70-80 recommendations daily, and a moderate amount of posting and commenting—for a book with 670 followers, that's pretty good, and logically, decent stickiness. However, when I asked the editor about follow-up reading, the number was 75. It's truly a laughable experience. It's already two months since July, and I imagine everyone has seen numerous examples of books that saw strong follow-up data but then saw a sharp drop in initial orders, leading to significant profit losses.

In fact, I'd rather not have so many collections, so that the value of my continued reading is higher. As for readers who want to keep their books, it's understandable, but for a young author who fails, a single collection might be the final straw that breaks the camel's back, so the best way to keep a book is to not collect. It's like the unknown and the anticipation that give people the most hope. Even if it ends up being a dead end, as long as you present them with that dead end, they won't give up until they reach the end.

I remembered a book by an author I was following. One of his readers urged him to write a few more chapters. By the time the book was published, he had written tens of thousands of words, but the reader didn't subscribe to a single chapter. I guess the author has gone crazy.

Fortunately, my expectations have been shattered. If I can get 10:1 and 70 subscriptions, it will be an unexpected victory for this already very niche work.

24小时首订100日更6000，24小时首订200日更8000，首订破300直接日更两万。当然，这是幻想中的幻想，我还是有些13数的。

As for this book, the first volume, "The Dreamer," will likely begin with the worm's enchantment and conclude with the end of the filthy life and the slaying of the enemy. I've considered several different threads for this volume, resulting in a somewhat disjointed narrative, with multiple events occurring simultaneously and a lack of effective integration. Therefore, the second volume is designed to be a simple, free-willed assassination of the princess, with a succession of assassins, intrigues, plots, and a series of deaths. From here, the storylines of Hestia, Viola, and Domitia will gradually unfold. This is my favorite storyline so far, with its twists and turns from stance to philosophy, to the outcome, and the subsequent impact, which has driven me completely crazy. I hope to write about it. As for the third volume, which is also the one I'm currently considering, it will likely focus on Charles II's near-death due to the poison of destiny, and the court intrigues and other things that happened before his death. I think it's quite interesting, but whether readers will enjoy it is hard to say.

That’s it for now. The update will be at 17:0 on the th, so please be sure to subscribe first.

Volume 34: Dreamers: . Benzoin

Hestia was not interested in what bad things the witch had done, and besides, Lady Aynive was just making guesses, and the real historical truth was still unclear.

More than once, she suppressed the urge to ask about the "prophecy" and casually took out an old book from the niche and looked through it.

The texture is light, smooth and flexible. I don’t know how these books are made. Each piece of paper seems to be tanned from the finest leather, but as thin as a cicada’s wing.

Hestia didn't recognize any of the words on it.

"What does it say?" Hestia asked.

"It's probably about a witch devouring a mystic." Lady Aynive glanced at the snake-like characters on it and said, "However, this book is written in the long-lost ancient Mithraic script, which is roughly equivalent to the Dream Code used by mystics today. It is even more ancient than the Raphaan common language used in other classics, and is more difficult to decipher and trace back."

"so?"

"So I can't be sure if it truly matches my previous judgment." Facing the princess's dragon-like gaze, Lady Aynive showed no sign of nervousness. She explained in a hoarse voice, "However, the Rafaan Common Language has been half-deciphered by the Secret Treasure Group. My current focus is half on translating these tomes, but the rest of the books are still readable."

"Including the witch's evil books?"

"Of course, this is the inevitable fate we must face when exploring the unknown." Aynive said as tactfully as possible, "I can guarantee that this knowledge will not pose the slightest threat to the Empire. I will not make this knowledge public, and I am willing to accept the Empire's surveillance for every move I make."

She was really worried that the princess would burn books and bury scholars!

"Whether it does or doesn't, the Empire will have its say." Hestia sneered. "Translate a copy of every known book here and submit it to me. I will personally examine the contents."

"Your Highness, there are more than tens of thousands of books here..." Lady Ainiwei hesitated to speak.

"Since you can summon the remnants of witches from here, let's start with the witches first." Hestia's expression was cold, as if she were a witch hunter. "Record all their rituals, powers, weaknesses, and legends. I will distribute them to the Inquiry Office and the military as appropriate. Everyone must study them and nip all evil that harms the empire in the bud!"

"Your Highness, do you mean that I can continue my research here?" Lady Ainiwei breathed a sigh of relief.

The old woman has spent half her life here. If she is no longer able to access the secret treasure containing infinite wisdom, she might as well be executed on the spot - she doesn't have many years to live anyway.

No matter whether the princess intended to take advantage of her or what conspiracy she was hiding, Lady Ainiwei did not care as long as she could pursue the truth and the hidden echo.

"If you think the workload is too much, you can also ask colleagues from the Silent Organ to help." Hestia smiled cunningly.

Fishing for croakers requires a good fishing spot first. Since this temple holds an unparalleled allure for Tibetan cultivators, it's best to seize this opportunity to gather a large group. Use them when needed, and even if they do turn against each other, it's easy to destroy them with lightning speed.

Lady Aynive sighed. "Have you guessed it? Perhaps I should reassess the High Knights' intelligence capabilities. The Empire's spies are far more extensive than I imagined."

"There's so much you don't know." Hestia said meaningfully. She patted Viola's shoulder and asked, "You seem to be very fond of my maid?"

"I just think Miss Lilan has the talent to embark on the path of wisdom, but it seems that she already has someone in her heart."

"Why not the Path of Heaven? Although you have dabbled in the realm of hidden treasures, the power plundered by the witch is clearly the 'echo' unique to spiritual practice."

"To embark on the path of the heavens, Miss Lilan still lacks some inspiration and 'spirituality,'" Lady Aynive sighed helplessly. "The spirit is the invisible medium of interaction. All things that are born, destroyed, transmitted, and changed contain traces of the spiritual source. Only those with strong inspiration can reach this subtle realm. It often descends upon the sensibilities of talented individuals, favoring those creative and artistic figures with surging inspiration, such as Lady Iyana, who has an extraordinary love for astronomy and aesthetics... As for Miss Lilan, she still lacks some cultivation."

"It's useless," said Hestia.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, Viola has caused you trouble..." The maid did not argue, but silently accepted the princess's criticism without even a hint of grievance.

"..."

Seeing the maid being so submissive, Hestia felt a little uncomfortable for a moment.

Where's your dignity and pride? They've all been thrown to the dogs, right?

Of course, the princess was only slightly surprised and did not continue to accuse him. Instead, she said, "Don't you like reading? Next, I will give you a task."

"Task?"

"Study ancient texts with Lady Aynive and translate these precious collections for the empire." Hestia didn't say anything heretical. She smiled like a fox and seemed to be very interested in the collection of books in the hall.

Seeing this, Ainiwei also breathed a sigh of relief.

I'm not afraid of being remembered, I'm afraid of the Celestial Dragons not remembering. Even if something is valuable, even if it's heretical, the Empire may preserve it for "research" purposes, but if it has no value at all...

What's the point of keeping it?

At least for now, because of the prophecy, the princess was able to be stabilized by her secret information...

"Um...Mrs. Ainiwei, can I?"

Hearing the princess' words, Viola looked at the old woman with some anticipation. Not only could she read more great works, but it also meant that she could become a disciple of a great arcane master and receive valuable instruction.

"Of course, you're always welcome to visit my place," Aynive said kindly.

“It’s my place.”

Hestia emphasized.

She didn't want to appear overly enthusiastic, so she didn't stay in this hidden hall for too long. Furthermore, even if she stayed to browse the collection, she would be completely lost. It would be better to wait for Aynive to translate the existing copy and present it to her.

Viola was her insurance policy, to prevent Aynive from hiding anything about the contents of the book. She didn't expect Viola to reach the old woman's level, but only to discern the truth from the falsehood.

After returning to the library, Hestia took off the bag at her waist and took out the gift given to her by Matildahl Miller - a tower-shaped incense burner and incense in a gorgeous treasure box.

The princess asked, "Actually, I came here this time to ask you about the origins of this thing... Iyana praised you as a know-it-all."

"Ms. Iyana, you are too kind. It's just that my knowledge is very broad, but everything is similar." Mrs. Ainiwei was not modest, and she just said a few polite words on the surface.

As she spoke, she took the incense burner from the princess's box and examined it in her hands.

Her brows sometimes furrowed, sometimes relaxed, and from time to time she glanced at the princess with a look of deep confusion.

"What's the problem?" Hestia asked.

"There's no problem in theory, but I have a question..."

"speak."

"This is the benzoin used by Jinhai Xinxiu's guardian to help his master embark on his journey... Has Your Highness not yet entered the Dream Realm?"

Volume 35: Dreamer: . Guardian

The Sea of ​​Embers lies at the eastern edge of the Empire, said to be the masterpiece of the Dwarven God. In the Dwarven founding myth, the Furnace of Punishment is a "miracle" that embodies his majesty. With its mighty power, it split the desolate world in two, transforming the deep pit between them into an immortal furnace. The God's Forge, however, lies at the origin of the world's rift, where the Sea of ​​Embers Strait now stands.

Back then, the Sea of ​​Ashes wasn't really a sea, but a site where the Furnace of Punishment forged miracles. His first hammer ignited the earth's fire and molten magma, causing the Sea of ​​Ashes to rise into a hundred thousand devastating volcanoes. The heat, intense enough to extinguish the sun, obscured the light of the heavens. The molten magma poured back into the earth, forging a new land. From the Furnace of Fire, the first dwarves were born.

His second hammer dispelled the gloom of the previous moment, and the molten sea gave birth to new life. They were servants bestowed upon the dwarves by the Furnace Punishment, a kind of soft-shelled creature that had been extinct for thousands of years and roamed in the sea of ​​fire.

Because the rhythm of the third hammer did not match that of the previous two, the symphonic noise formed a chaotic weather and ocean currents. The magma poured into the cracks of the world and continued to run, laying the foundation for the abyss of nothingness.

The fourth hammer pierced the membrane of the world, allowing all things to reach the other side beyond matter through dreams and spirits.

The fifth hammer dispersed the original matter, and the world was no longer pure stone and fire, but manifested softer wind and water.

The sixth hammer was Him forging the already formed world. The heaven and earth began to cool down, and a rainy season that lasted for a million years extinguished the magma, filling the cracks in the world and forming the ocean.

The Seventh Hammer is the masterpiece of the Furnace Punishment, signifying the completion of a miracle. He returns the ancient dwarves to the furnace fire, allowing them to adapt to the new world, and declares this day as the time of the Furnace, which becomes a holy day for the dwarves to worship the Furnace.

The forging ground that was once filled with sea water is now the Jinhai Strait, known as the Land of Ten Thousand Mountains and the Land of Underground Fire.

It borders the Kingdom of the Supreme Emperor to the west, the Kingdom of Eternal Heaven to the east, and to the north is a pasture where the Russians have domesticated livestock for thousands of years. Trade and war have risen and fallen here, making it a place where all four directions meet.

Of course, the reality is clear to all. Blame the dwarves for their premature boasting. The so-called World Rift was nothing more than an inland sea, less than a tenth the size of the open ocean. Even the dwarven theologians' yearly patching efforts proved futile. Especially after the Empire's cracking of the mountains and the God-Emperor's slashing of the Furnace, the glory of the past seemed to fade with the decline of their race.

"So, what does benzoin have to do with my not stepping into the dream? It's not mine."

Hestia was cracking melon seeds on the library counter. After Madam Aynive made her some hot tea, she listened to her talk about the ancient history of the Ash Sea and the creation of the dwarves.

"Whether it's requested by Your Highness or given as a gift, benzoin, a precious item monopolized by the Ember Sea Mysticism, will not be used as ordinary incense."

Mrs. Ainiwei added milk and sugar to the tea, and she took a sip, looking very happy.

Hestia hesitated to speak—

No wonder this old woman has sparse teeth. Keep adding more. It will be so sweet that you, a heretic, will die.

Lady Aynive didn't notice the princess's strange expression. She continued, "The fact that someone gifted it to Your Highness implies something. Therefore, I'm curious... how Your Highness managed to defeat that witch before embarking on the path."

"You don't seem qualified to ask me questions." Hestia sneered.

"I'm sorry, I'm overstepping my bounds." Lady Aynive remained unperturbed. She explained, "The earliest legend of benzoin is related to Furnace Punishment. Chaos demons once attempted to invade Furnace Punishment's territory and cause his followers to lose themselves in the mists of Dreamland. This incident triggered Furnace Punishment's conquest of Chaos... Of course, that's not important. Benzoin, on the other hand, is said to be refined from the powdered remains of dwarven servants and contains a beacon left by Furnace Punishment. Igniting it while wandering through Dreamland can prevent dwarven mystics from disappearing into the mists."

"So this benzoin and..."