I Hate the Empire

“I’m going out for a bit; I’ll be back later.”

Having finished the dishes, Xie Shenhong stepped out of the house.

This was the hour Xie Shenhong and Duanmu Yun had set for his transformation into the Hai Zhu puppet.

The decision to choose the time after dinner was primarily to avoid disrupting Xie Shenhong’s daily life.

Another reason was to spare Shen’ai any worry; he could still return before 10 PM after the transformation, fabricating an excuse about tending to research matters.

Ultimately, he was not yet permitted to operate alone in the guise of Saintess Hai Zhu.

He could only undertake actions under Duanmu Yun’s supervision.

‘I truly am useless…’

With no one around, Xie Shenhong dropped his pretense, letting out a heavy sigh as he swiftly quickened his pace.

He needed to reach his destination without delay.

Despite the brevity of just one hour, it was only within that fleeting period that he felt anything but useless.

However, before long, he noticed that the street he usually took was blocked.

“What’s happening? I need to get home!”

“All the other roads are blocked too; what’s going on?”

A number of citizens had gathered, demanding explanations from the guards blocking the road.

“What’s the situation?”

Xie Shenhong quickly stepped forward, producing his squire’s identification badge.

Though the guards held authority, their rank was inferior to that of a squire, prompting them to immediately salute Xie Shenhong.

“Sir, it’s like this—”

Before the guard could elaborate, a thunderous crash from behind interrupted him.

From a residential building that had spectacularly collapsed, a golden flash, pursuing a dark shadow, burst forth and vanished at the street’s end.

While Xie Shenhong excelled in little else, his dynamic vision far surpassed that of others, allowing him to instantly recognize the identity of that golden flash.

‘Lyte?’

Xie Shenhong immediately flew into a rage, declaring that it was his knight lord before crossing the cordon.

‘What is that scoundrel doing?’

Such an approach, causing damage to surrounding buildings while engaging in combat, was incredibly reckless, even if its purpose was to apprehend a criminal.

Moreover, Lyte’s actions were very likely a pretext to damage the royal capital, preparing for an operation three months in the future… How could Xie Shenhong possibly tolerate this?

Rushing to a street corner devoid of fleeing pedestrians or peering residents, Xie Shenhong produced a golden pocket watch.

He cradled the golden pocket watch in his hands as if in prayer, closing his eyes and burying all superfluous feelings of frustration and resentment deep within his heart.

He took a deep breath and said:

“Transform.”

****

No sooner had the words left his lips than a surge of light erupted from within him, enveloping his form.

First, his fiery red shoulder-length hair lengthened, its color shifting to a deep ocean blue as a chilling sensation spread from root to tip.

His already fine skin, which had never truly seemed masculine, became even more exquisitely smooth and supple, surpassing frost and rivaling snow.

The clothes on his body disintegrated into countless water droplets as if undergoing atomic decomposition, only to re-condense into a magnificent red gown.

Yet, the most astonishing transformation was that of his physique.

Not only was there no discomfort as he had anticipated, but it felt entirely natural, as though it were simply meant to be.

It was as if this body had always been destined for such a form.

It was as if she had always been Saintess Hai Zhu.

‘This transformation technology, inherent to the bionic puppet, is truly remarkable.’

Xie Hai Zhu opened her star-like eyes, now transformed into captivating scarlet gems, and nodded with satisfaction.

Despite the myriad changes, the entire transformation process took less than 0.001 seconds, proving incredibly safe and reliable.

Perhaps the sole flaw was the icy coldness of her body, unlike that of a living person… but Saintess Hai Zhu was renowned for her ice magic, which conveniently served as a perfect disguise.

‘Will my clothes be different with each transformation?’

Xie Hai Zhu summoned a water mirror that defied the darkness, admiring the splendid robe she wore, which resembled a zhiju from the ancient Han Kingdom, and nodded contentedly. ‘Excellent, I like it.’

If it were possible, she wished to wear a different outfit every day.

‘Oh, it seems I no longer have any aversion to women’s clothing.’

As Xie Shenhong, while he often wore women’s clothes, it was mostly out of necessity, and he regarded it as a ‘shackle’ to remind himself to always remember and repay his benefactors’ kindness.

Now, however, Xie Hai Zhu’s heart surged with nothing but fondness.

Indeed, she harbored a confident desire, a notion that all humanity should fall prostrate before her beauty.

‘But this is good. I am Xie Hai Zhu, the Saintess who saved the Vermilion Bird Kingdom, an existence worthy of universal reverence.’

The reason she referred to herself as ‘Xie Hai Zhu’ was also because Duanmu Yun had instructed her to always remember her identity after transforming into the puppet.

As for why the surname Xie preceded the name… according to Duanmu Yun’s explanation, it was a rule established by the kingdom’s high-ranking officials to distinguish who was portraying the Hai Zhu puppet, a rule known only to a select few.

Of course, as for Xie Hai Zhu herself, the greatest likelihood for her acceptance of the name change was her dissatisfaction with her original self, and a constant yearning for change.

A longing to become someone else, someone more useful.

‘How foolish I am…’

Xie Hai Zhu scoffed at herself, her voice tinged with cool self-derision.

Perhaps it was due to the difference in strength, or the chilling essence within the Hai Zhu puppet’s body, or even the change in gender… In any case, Xie Hai Zhu now felt not a shred of inferiority.

Many of the concerns she had harbored in her male form were now of little consequence to her.

Especially the worry and entanglement surrounding this transformation.

Furthermore, this was not the time to dwell on such thoughts.

Her transformation lasted only an hour; she had to seize the moment to resolve the commotion caused by Lyte… No sooner had this thought formed than a 3D map reappeared in her mind.

The difference was that its range had expanded, now covering a fifth of the royal capital, centered around her.

Her magical power had also increased from the level of an ordinary Battle Duke to the peak of a Battle Duke.

‘Could it be that…’

With a thought, the golden pocket watch materialized in Xie Hai Zhu’s hand; she opened it and looked.

Indeed, the hour hand had advanced to the second mark.

‘What did I do today that made the hour hand advance?’

With too many potential reasons to deduce the correct answer immediately, Xie Hai Zhu wasted no more time, swiftly dissolving into countless water droplets and vanishing from her spot.

Reappearing, Xie Hai Zhu found herself hovering in the air above the clashing combatants.

Elementalization and teleportation were abilities only the Saintess, completely unaffected by the Vermilion Bird Grand Array, could accomplish within the kingdom.

It could be said without exaggeration that merely demonstrating these two skills was enough to send shivers down the spines of all criminals within the kingdom.

However, this time, something was distinctly different—

“Witch, prepare to die!”

Lyte’s opponent, the man who had been lurking in the shadows, showed no fear; instead, he let out a furious roar, leaping high and charging towards Xie Hai Zhu in the air.

A hero to the enemy, an enemy to me.

Those who would call Xie Hai Zhu a witch were none other than the old nobility, remnants of the Sakura Kingdom’s Shogunate, and—

‘An Imperial?’

Xie Hai Zhu gazed expressionlessly at the Imperial spy, neither dodging nor evading, showing no intention of striking.

A sharp hiss.

A golden flash shot upwards, piercing the Imperial spy’s body mid-air, sending him plummeting like a kite with a severed string.

By the time Xie Hai Zhu gently descended to the ground, the Imperial spy had already bitten down on the potent poison hidden in his teeth, his breath gone.

As if to outwardly proclaim himself the victor, the golden-haired youth, without withdrawing the rapier plunged into the Imperial spy’s body, came before Xie Hai Zhu and knelt on one knee.

“To have failed to eliminate the enemy at once, and to have caused such immense damage to the royal capital… I am truly deserving of death a thousand times over!”