Professional Issues

Inside the room, Selina sat cross-legged on the wooden bed, whose sheets had been washed yellow. She closed her eyes and concentrated, spreading her mental energy to its maximum extent. At the same time, her thief’s listening skill was also operating at full capacity.

[Thief Skill: Eavesdrop]

Powerful mental energy completely enveloped the entire inn. All sounds within the inn, like fish caught in a net, entered the girl’s mind. Amidst the chaotic noise, she tried her best to discern the one she needed.

[What a dump! The sheets are all yellow-stained. If I didn’t have enough money, even a ghost wouldn’t stay here!]

That was a strange man’s complaining voice, full of resentment.

[Snore~ snore~ snore~]

Loud and heavy snoring, like a high-running steel engine.

[Oh, darling, gently, too hard, it hurts~]

A vulgar groan, unbearable to hear. The man’s heavy breathing, accompanied by promiscuous gurgling sounds, and the creaking of the shaking wooden bed, made one not doubt that such an act, halfway through, would cause the bed to collapse directly.

Selina carefully distinguished these chaotic sounds. Finally, a familiar voice entered her ear…

[Your Highness, quickly take the Dragon Profound Ice.]

This was the red dragoness Norin’s voice, her crisp tone carrying ill-concealed urgency.

In the background, the girl could discern the heavy breathing of the Dragon Saintess.

[Ugh… How many pieces of Dragon Profound Ice are left?]

[Your Highness, this is the last piece.]

The red dragoness’s voice was somewhat heavy.

[Your Highness, you cannot suppress it any longer. Although Dragon Profound Ice can temporarily suppress the kidney state, if suppressed for too long, your body will not be able to bear it, let alone now that there is none left…]

[No, right now, both the church and the Imperial family… all eyes are on me. That puppet clone in the church’s backyard probably won’t last long; they will find this place soon…]

Even with the Dragon Profound Ice suppressing her advancement, the negative effects of the internal heat were still greatly affecting her in the short term.

[Then what should we do? Your Highness, why don’t you prepare for your advancement here now? I’ll block the door for you. Once someone comes in, I’ll…]

[It’s useless. Without the aid of the Dragon Marrow Saint Crystal, even if I succeed in advancing on my own, it will take nearly a week. In that week, they will find me no matter what.]

[How could this happen? Why did even the Archbishop betray us? Without the church’s funding, where will we get the Dragon Marrow Saint Crystal? Oh, right! The Imperial family! The Imperial family has it too!]

Norin’s constantly pacing footsteps and anxious voice all indirectly confirmed the critical situation of the Dragon Saintess.

[No, you cannot go. Since they dared to attack the Archbishop, the Imperial family must also have measures in place. You going alone would be tantamount to walking into a trap. Besides, there are still eyes watching us in the dark…]

The eavesdropped conversation completely stopped here. Selina was stunned for a moment, then reacted.

‘Damn it! It’s a sound-proofing barrier!’

The eavesdropping skill could not penetrate a normal sound-proofing barrier.

‘It seems they’ve noticed something.’

On the wooden bed, Selina reopened her eyes, her purple eyes no longer calm, but filled with a hint of worry and unease.

“What’s wrong with that girl? She’s about to advance and she still came back!”

The girl slapped her thigh, her tone carrying a hint of anxiety and blame.

“Perhaps she had a reason she had to come back?”

Hestia’s voice sounded at the opportune moment.

“Oh, right, Hestia, do you know about Dragon Profound Ice and Dragon Marrow Saint Crystal?”

“I have some understanding. Dragon Profound Ice is condensed from the saliva of Transcendent-tier Ice Dragons. Its function is to forcefully suppress the restlessness and advancement of magic power and blood within the body. As for Dragon Marrow Saint Crystal, it is a substance formed from the essence blood of White Dragon royalty, who have reached the Forbidden Curse tier, combined with primordial power.”

“Mhm, so, Dragon Profound Ice and Dragon Marrow Saint Crystal can both help with advancement?”

“Yes, that’s correct. However, Dragon Profound Ice is an extremely rare item, and Dragon Marrow Saint Crystal is the supreme treasure of the Dragon Imperial family. Obtaining them is as difficult as ascending to heaven.”

“Hmph, rare item, supreme treasure? They’re still going to be stolen by someone.”

Hestia’s voice held a hint of disdain.

“So, it’s too late for her to advance now.”

Selina pondered for a moment, then made a decision.

Hestia also began to utilize her wisdom and experience.

“The first type of item can be used to suppress a Dragon Tribe member’s advancement time, while the other can assist the advancement of Imperial Dragon Tribe members. However, both are extremely rare. If one wishes to obtain them…”

“You’ll just have to go to the Imperial family, right?”

Selina interjected calmly.

“Yes, that White Dragon Saintess is currently in a state of suppressing her advancement. But the magic power in her body has already reached the brink of breakthrough. In my opinion, without Dragon Profound Ice, she can suppress it for three more days at most. If there’s no replenishment of these two items within three days, she will have to face advancement in a weakened state, which would be dangerous.”

After hearing Hestia’s description of the consequences, Selina showed no hesitation and immediately got out of bed.

“What are you going to do?”

“Go to the Imperial City and steal something.”

Selina ran a hand through her messy hair, her tone completely devoid of the tension and fear one might expect from someone about to single-handedly infiltrate the most heavily guarded area of the Great Dragon Divine Dynasty.

“Important and precious items like Dragon Marrow Saint Crystal are likely sealed in the national treasury. If you go without any preparation, you’ll easily be discovered.”

Hestia gently reminded her.

“The mountain folk have their own ingenious plans. Besides, for such professionally relevant problems, I’ve never failed yet…”

Selina smiled calmly. She reached out and pushed open the window, then leaped out, disappearing into the shadows.

Three hours later, at the main gate of the Great Dragon Divine Dynasty’s Royal Palace.

The black-robed figure, whose face was concealed, was stopped by two Diamond Dragons guarding the entrance, who blocked her with their greatswords.

“Step back, outsider. This is the Imperial Palace, not a place for you.”

The Diamond Dragons’ deep voices resonated. The surface of their outer skin was covered with hard, sparkling dragon scales like diamonds. These high-grade dragon species were overlords outside, but here in the Imperial City, they could only serve as guards.

Diamond Dragons were very proud, usually keeping their gaze fixed downwards.

Warned by the Diamond Dragons, the black-robed figure stopped in place, slowly extended a hand, and her golden eyes met the Diamond Dragons’ gaze.

“It, it’s Her Highness the Saintess!”

“Your Highness.”

“Why is Her Highness the Saintess dressed like this?”

“Less talk. I carry a divine oracle and wish to see the Dragon King. Lead the way immediately.”

Her face, her brilliant golden eyes radiated a sea-like pressure. The powerful Diamond Dragons trembled all over.

The discord between Her Highness the Saintess and the Dragon King was well-known throughout the Great Dragon Divine Dynasty. Therefore, under normal circumstances, Her Highness the Saintess would generally not go to see the Dragon King. But this abnormal behavior made the two Diamond Dragon guards suspicious.

“But…”

One of them just opened his mouth, ready to inquire further. However, the next moment, a faint, almost imperceptible divine ripple spread outwards from the girl’s body.

“Now, do you still have doubts?”

Aurelia raised her head, her brilliant golden eyes radiating supreme majesty.

“No, no more, Your Highness the Saintess. Please follow me.”

The two Diamond Dragon guards hurriedly shook their heads, quickly agreeing.

‘What a joke! They had doubts before, but when the girl emitted divine power, all suspicions vanished. Other things could be faked, but divine nature could not.’

With divine nature attached to Her Highness the Saintess, then the so-called divine oracle was almost certainly true.

A decree personally issued by Lord Dragon God, which Her Highness the Saintess was to personally relay to the Dragon King. Such a high-level matter was not something these two guard dragons could bear.

And so, led by the two Diamond Dragons, “Aurelia” smoothly passed the first check and entered the Imperial Palace.