I am on the Ark, a succubus, pure and innocent.

The space here is quite spacious, with numerous white stone pillars serving as structural supports. Emerald green plant vines and branches appear out of nowhere, entwining the stone pillars and extending all the way to the reliefs on the ceiling.

This place is like a temple.

So let's just call it a temple for now.

In the center of the temple stands a life-size statue of Bai Yue, its hands cupped in front of its chest, from which pure water overflows and flows into a pool at its feet where water lilies grow, a scene of vivid beauty.

But even more eye-catching than that is the 'bed' at the very back, made of pure gold, with its backrest extending all the way to the ceiling.

This wall is truly made of gold.

Bai Yue was rolling around on it, making money-grubbing noises:

"Hehehe, so much red gold! I'm really rich now! What should I buy? Should I go to Columbia and buy some brand new mobile blocks? Or should I build a few arenas to watch horse girl performances? Hmm... there are so many things I want to do!"

"Wuhu, life is as easy as turning your hand!"

Just as he was going mad.

The two spiral murals on the wall suddenly opened like a kaleidoscope, revealing a dark passage, from which Emerald and Amber, dressed in maid outfits, jumped out.

They walked with measured steps to Bai Yue, who lay on the crimson gold, and curtsied in greeting:

"Your Highness, your wealth has been sealed up."

"Huh? Oh."

Bai Yue stood up from the pile of crimson gold, walked to the edge of the pile, looked down at the two tall maids, and said with a cheerful smile, "It's good that you've hidden it well, but don't tell anyone else, especially Sister Yuxia and the others."

"Sigh, I only made a small fortune. Why do you keep nagging me about increasing the budget? Honestly, haven't I invested enough in Chernobog? It's time for me to get my money back!"

"We would rather die than do that."

The two sisters, Emerald and Amber, knelt down skillfully.

Bai Yue pouted, jumped off the pile of crimson gold, and said listlessly, "Alright, get up, let's go up."

He led the way to the pool and stood on the golden disc by the pool, where the Earl of Chernobog's scepter was inserted.

Once Emerald and Amber stood beside her, a crown appeared on Bai Yue's head, and she grasped the scepter. Golden light spread from the scepter to the ceremonial patterns at her feet.

The intricate patterns lit up, and the thirty-two circles covering the edge of the disc opened, from which golden chains descended straight down and plunged into them.

Then, the chains tightened, lifting the disc into the sky.

Looking up from below, this 'elevator' structure resembles a gradually tightening golden birdcage, possessing an indescribable and enchanting beauty.

......

The main hall of the Earl's Mansion.

Bai Yue stepped out of the secret room and, guided by Jade, made her way through a maze of turns to the main hall, where all sorts of antique treasures were displayed, with even more piled up in wooden boxes on the ceiling.

The once spacious hall was now so cramped by these things that it almost looked like a factory warehouse.

Lin Yuxia was directing the Sarkaz workers as they moved things around, acting like a housekeeper. Seeing Bai Yue come down, she calmly said:

"We've captured quite a lot of things, so let's leave them here for a while to prevent them from getting wet in the rain these next few days. I've already had Niyan build a warehouse, and we can move them away in the next day or the day after."

"Okay, sure." Bai Yue nodded obediently.

After watching for a while, and waiting for the Sarkaz workers to finish their work and leave, he went up to Lin Yuxia and asked, "How is the situation in Go City now? We've detained all the nobles, but are the citizens making any moves?"

Lin Yuxia smiled as she recorded the accounts:

"There's been no movement. Even without these nobles, their daily lives haven't changed much. On the contrary, their quality of life has improved quite a bit recently because we opened up the planting and breeding areas that were previously controlled by the nobles."

"Because we had some control over the situation and it didn't affect too many people, they didn't cause any trouble."

"Oh~"

Bai Yue puffed out her cheeks and chirped, "I bet you didn't charge them after opening up these blocks, right?"

Lin Yuxia chuckled, put down her pen, patted his head, and explained with a doting expression, "We don't have the authority to charge related enforcement fees. It's not that we can't charge, but we also need to control the scope of the impact."

"You have so many nobles under your control. Even if there is conclusive evidence of their treason, they are still nobles without trial. You need someone to share this pressure."

"And the citizens who participated in this partition will be the reason Mr. Witte gave you in Parliament: 'The great Duke Ulrich, for the sake of justice in his heart, sent the traitorous parasites to the dock, and at the same time, mercifully used the wealth of these parasites to guarantee the peaceful life of the citizens.'"

"While this reason may not stand up to scrutiny, it is sufficient as a glamorous facade to cover up our current actions."

"Hmm... However, I estimate that Mr. Witt will send an envoy to discuss the specific destination of this enormous wealth with you, so you should prepare in advance."

Bai Yue's eyes widened, and she said angrily, "He wants a share of the stolen money I recovered? No way!"

Lin Yuxia smiled calmly and reassured him, "Don't worry, it's one thing for him to send people over, but it's another thing to distribute these things. Over the years, I've never heard of Saint Jun Castle taking anything from any local nobles."

“Unless it involves crimes such as treason or regicide, the rights of the Ursus nobles are still somewhat protected. He sent someone to express his attitude.”

"Moreover, given Ursus's current administrative efficiency, it will probably be six months... or even a year before the envoy meets you. The council's infighting is never-ending."

"Alright alright."

Bai Yue accepted the comfort, then her eyes lit up and she laughed, "Then let's just sell everything and buy mobile blocks before his envoy arrives. I'm too lazy to argue with him."

"Hehe." Lin Yuxia chuckled and teased, "Now you're not worried about such a large public expenditure?"

Bai Yue puffed up her cheeks, then said dejectedly, "Forget it, we can't eat them here anyway, let's just sell them all, add some Originium Ingots, and replenish Chernobog's supplies first."

"Hehe, once we get to Lungmen, let Swire make the arrangements; she's an expert."

"Yes, everything's been moved. We've withdrawn the soldiers maintaining order in Grod City, and we'll set off tonight. It's been so long since we've been back to Lungmen."

"Hehe, yes, Your Excellency Mayor."

Chapter 163: Sacred Mark 2.0 Self-Developed Version

7:12 a.m.

Chernobog, the Earl's Palace.

The distant sounds of laughter and merriment drifted through the window into the bedroom, shattering the tranquility of the morning and waking the occupant.

"Huh? Why is it so noisy?"

Because she had just woken up, Bai Yue's voice was very soft, but it was still heard by Emerald, who had been waiting outside the door for some time. She knocked on the door and said, "Your Highness, are you awake?"

"Well, come in."

Bai Yue sat up and leaned lazily against the headboard, wearing only a thin, white undershirt.

Emerald obeyed and entered the room. She first placed the clothes she was carrying on the table, then walked to Bai Yue's side, tucked the blanket around him, and said with concern:

"Your Highness, be careful not to catch a cold."

"Ah."

Bai Yue didn't refute her claims about how strong her constitution was and how she wouldn't get sick.

Isn't it nice to receive heartwarming care? It's not the kind of nagging, demanding that others accept your idea of ​​'care'—that's the kind of dross that needs to be discarded.

Emerald deftly pulled up the brand-new curtains she had taken from Grod. The lake-blue hue paired with the gold tassels was quite beautiful. When she made sure she had folded it to the seventh fold, she fixed it in place, and did the same on the other side.

Bai Yue reached out and scooped up a handful of sunlight that lingered in front of her, then yawned and asked:

"What's all that noise outside? It's not even 8 o'clock yet, is it time to start work?"

Emerald stepped aside, picked up her clothes, and respectfully replied, "Your Highness, today is the day you invited the Rhodes Island operators to a banquet at the Earl's mansion. However, due to a shortage of manpower, the mansion is not yet capable of independently hosting hundreds of guests."

"Therefore, three days ago, Ms. Lin had a sudden idea to have all the guests work together to complete this banquet, and you agreed to it."

"Do I agree?"

Bai Yue tilted his head and thought for a moment. Just as Emerald was about to kneel down and take the blame, he suddenly realized and said, "Oh, I remember now, there was such a thing, um... it was today."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Emerald responded, then took the clothes and walked to him respectfully, saying, "Your Highness, I will help you change your clothes."

Bai Yue gave a soft "hmm" and extended her hand in a cooperative gesture.

Emerald leaned in and embraced his fragrance, but she was not captivated by the scent that could dazzle or even make ordinary people lose their senses. Instead, she focused intently on unbuttoning the shell buttons on the lining with her delicate, nimble fingertips.

Looking at the pretty face so close to hers, Bai Yue couldn't help but feel playful. She gently blew a breath into the girl's eyes, but seeing that her eyelashes only trembled slightly and her eyelids didn't even blink, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"Jade, why aren't you responding!"

"Sorry, Your Highness."

Jade lowered her eyes and whispered, "This body has undergone rigorous training since childhood. Even the chilling sight of death brushing past my neck would not move me. I have failed to produce the reaction you expect. Please punish me."

"..."

Bai Yue thought for a moment, then gave her a quick kiss on the lips, before leaning back and smiling gently, "How about this?"

"..."

Jade visibly paused for a moment, but her high level of professionalism allowed her to quickly regain her composure. She pursed her lips and advised, "Your Highness, you should not be too close to your servants. This will not only damage your reputation, but in the long run, it will also inevitably breed unruly and presumptuous thoughts in your servants, leading them to do things that deceive their master."

"The history of this land has proven this countless times, which is why Her Majesty Catherine left many wise sayings in the book 'Court Etiquette' to prevent problems before they arise."

Her Majesty Catherine once said: "Intimacy is like honey, indulgence is like poison; if the balance is not right, the master-servant relationship will collapse in an instant. Strictness like a wall, distance like a chasm, is the way to govern subordinates in the long run."

"Your Highness, I implore you..."

"Alright, jade."

Bai Yue interrupted her softly, then snorted, "Grandmother makes a lot of sense, but didn't she also accept me when I was a high-class maid?"

"What 'walls' and 'ravines'? She didn't care that much about my grandmother Ulrich. She wanted to be with her all the time. If she hadn't died young, she probably would have burned that tattered book long ago. How could it still be here now?"

"Your Highness..."

Jade's voice conveyed a deep sense of powerlessness.

Seeing that she was about to say something, Bai Yue interrupted her directly, raised her hand and pinched her chin, looking directly into her beautiful indigo eyes, and said seriously, "Jade, tell me, will you betray me?"

"no way!"

Jade replied firmly, without the slightest hesitation.

"Ha...I don't believe it."

Bai Yue tightened her grip slightly and scoffed, "What in this world remains unchanged? I can trust you now, but can I trust you twenty or fifty years from now?"

you can!

Jade desperately wanted to shout those two words; even as time passed, how could she betray him?!

But Bai Yue gently pressed her fingertips against her lips, causing her to obediently swallow all her words. Yes, His Highness was speaking, what right did a mere servant like herself have to interrupt?

"Humans are such unreliable creatures, but..."

Bai Yue smiled and stuck out his tongue, showing her the eight-pointed star on it. After confirming that she saw it, he quickly withdrew it. He was still quite embarrassed to have his tongue seen by others.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked, removing his finger from the jade lips.

"I do not know."

Jade shook its head blankly.

"Stigmata Terminal".

Bai Yue chuckled and explained, "Thanks to the power of [Ishtar], my idea was made possible. You wouldn't understand the principle even if I explained it, but the effect is that I can share my power with other individuals."

"But the price is that the more power an individual bears from me, the deeper their bond with me becomes, until they become my puppets, even their thoughts are restricted by me."

"What do you think of the jade?"

"Please, Your Highness, grant me your favor."

Even with such harsh conditions, she did not hesitate and even seemed eager to prove her 'loyalty,' like a moth drawn to a flame.

Bai Yue's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but smile, saying lightly:

"Okay, I'll give it to you."

Just as Emerald was wondering how it would be done, Bai Yue, wearing a crown, pressed his lips directly against hers. But this time, it wasn't just a quick touch; it went deep inside.

The power of magic etched an eight-pointed star into the soft flesh of the jade.

A slight pain, a slight burning sensation, but Emerald didn't even flinch. Perhaps she forgot to blink, or perhaps she was enjoying the pain and looking forward to success.

Bai Yue, who was casting a spell automatically with the crown, was somewhat lost in thought.

Actually, what he just said was a lie to Jade. Seriously? Could such a perfect spell be developed overnight? He merely used the crown to perform a preliminary analysis of the Holy Mark composition within Frostnova's body, and then created this fake.