Chapter 11: The Great Deceiver Jima
After determining the direction, for the next few days, Jima acted as Violet’s consultant, teaching her how to cook and play the role of a housewife. As a result, several housewives in Adolf City often felt like someone was watching them.
The process went smoothly; at least the meals Violet prepared were well-received by the homeless people they were distributed to.
Violet was quite pleased: “If cooking some soup and meat can make my husband stay by my side, it couldn’t be more worth it.”
“By the way,” Jima said, chewing on some boiled beef, “George has asked me to submit a report to the Empire.”
“What a persistent human.”
“He’s always been this way,” Jima said. “He could even kill his own mother without a moment’s hesitation because his mother was a disaster, a witch.”
“Does he not realize that even if the local humans knew of my existence, they would pretend not to?”
“He said: ‘Although I cannot pay for justice for the ancient vampire’s judgment, at least I can do something within my power.’” Jima continued, “He also reported Acanis, exposing his true identity and attached his file to the report.”
Violet was not worried at all: “My dear Acanis told me that the Emperor knows his identity but lets him impersonate someone else.”
“Yes. But George still asked me to forward the report.” Jima said, “George has always disliked your husband because he has no regard for law, morality, or authority.”
“Does he know you and I are making a deal?”
“He does.” Jima said, “So he’s not happy, but he didn’t stop me.”
“You two seem to have a good relationship.” Violet said, “It makes sense; as a master of love, you can see through the emotional deadlock between me and my husband so clearly. There must be real love between you.”
These words unintentionally pierced Jima’s psychological defenses.
Her expression stiffened for a moment, but then she returned to normal and lied, “Yes.”
Violet did not notice; she was still staring at the bubbling pot in front of her, stirring the food inside with a spoon.
She continued, “Unlike him, being together with me requires a lot of bloodshed. Luckily, I am prepared to bleed again.”
Time passed day by day.
Jima’s inner anxiety was slowly building up; she wanted to organize an elite vanguard team to search for pieces of the Demon King’s crown. But rationality told her that sharpening the knife would not delay the work of chopping wood.
It would be best to seek the pieces of the Demon King’s crown after strengthening her own power.
It had been seven days since Jima bid farewell to Acanis, and on the night of the seventh day.
Jima entered Acanis’s dream.
Acanis seemed to be in a good mood lately; the dream was filled with soaring flames, the fire originating from the noble district of Shaling City, with several bridges leading to the noble district already broken.
The fire forced the nobles to jump into the river and swim to the other side, with both men and women among them.
Acanis laughed heartily, standing on a rooftop with a crossbow, shooting down the swimmers, regardless of age or gender. Beneath him, justified anger erupted, cursing him as a demon and a butcher, which only made Acanis laugh harder as he shot arrows through their heads.
A noble family tried to swim over; a man, with crossbow bolts stuck in him, held a longsword in front of his wife and daughter, while Acanis drew his curved dagger, ready to jump down and enjoy the slaughter.
Jima opened her wings and gently landed behind Acanis.
Acanis paused, showing a middle finger to the people below and shouted, “It’s all fake.”
After saying this, he turned around to look at Jima and said, “It’s such a letdown to see you in a pleasant dream.”
“If you want to have some fun,” Jima said, “I can make your crossbow shoot ten arrows at once.”
“Forget it.” Acanis said, stepping on the eaves. He was dressed like a shadow king, “There aren’t enough people below for me to kill.”
Afterward, he pointed at the face of the noble protecting his wife and daughter and said, “I recognize this guy; that’s why he appears in my dream, right?”
“Perhaps.” Jima said, “You remember him because he’s protecting his family, right?”
“Exactly.”
“What did you do?”
“I killed his family and him.” Acanis said with a laugh, “The expression on his face before he died was only slightly uglier than this raging fire.”
“Tsk, so cruel.”
“I just wish I could be a bit more cruel.” Acanis said, admiring the flames of Shaling City’s noble district, spreading his arms wide, “Isn’t it beautiful? People running around, so vibrant.”
Although the fire blazed sky-high, it did not illuminate all the dark spots on the river’s surface, where there were still swimmers and flying arrows.
Jima saw someone in yellow clothes in a boat, shooting at the swimmers with a bow.
“What bad luck.” Acanis spat, “How can this dream be suddenly altered?”
Jima realized something. Since the content of the dream came from specific memories, then this memory might be…
“Is this the memory of your family suffering from the plague when you were a child?”
“Yes, that bastard Branx sent ‘ghouls’ with bows to shoot anyone they saw on the river.” Acanis said, “Aren’t you the nightmare? Hurry up and change it all to Branx.”
Branx was the lord of Shaling City, who attempted to sell the young succubus Jima for a large sum of money to restore Shaling City’s reputation.
“Unless you agree to one request from me.”
“I won’t agree.”
“Goodbye.”
Acanis immediately said, “I agree.”
“Relax a bit and don’t resist my power.” Jima clapped her hands, instantly distorting Acanis’s dream.
All the yellow-clad archers transformed into Acanis, while those swimming in the water became Branx. The Branxes howled in despair as they sank in the rain of arrows. Meanwhile, a large group of Branxes surged from the other side of the river, jumping into the water like a herd of cattle.
However, Acanis shook his head and said, “No, I want you to turn them all into Branxes.”
Jima pointed at the river filled with Branx corpses and asked, “Aren’t they all Branx?”
“What about the river? What about the boats?”
“Are you sure?”
“Sure.”
Jima shook her head and clapped her hands again.
In the blink of an eye, the river vanished, replaced by countless Branxes, who filled the riverbed and kept rolling. The boats were made of several Branxes tied together, and the Acanis on top were straining to draw their bows. Each Branx that was hit cried out dramatically before falling silent.
Acanis laughed heartily, bending over and clapping his hands, “Wonderful, wonderful.”
But Jima snapped her fingers, and all the Branxes and those shooting them vanished, leaving even the roaring flames unextinguished.
“What are you doing?” Acanis asked, “You’re… destroying a masterpiece! It could be famous for generations.”
“I don’t have time to play your games.” Jima lied, “Who told me I couldn’t let go of you, brother? Just say it, do you want to help? If not, then I owe you nothing.”
“Of course, I need your help.” Acanis said, “Should I write you a note?”
“Of course.” Jima said, “During this time, I’ve made preliminary communication with Violet; she expressed the desire to meet you.”
“I don’t consider you a friend.” Acanis hugged himself and took a few steps back, “I will never leave this cell and let a living corpse defile me!”
“She said she would give you a sense of home; why not experience it?”
“Absolutely not.”
“This is also an opportunity for you to escape from Violet.” Jima said, “You can choose the meeting place, as long as it’s well-chosen—”
“So I can be robbed and defiled by her more quickly?”
“The Empire’s troops can wipe out Violet and her minions.” Jima said, “Wait, the Empire’s grand preacher Vocama will come down to order you to prepare for the elimination of Violet.”
Acanis said, “The Emperor is quite loyal.”
“Clearly, it’s me who is loyal.” Jima lied, “It was the effect of George’s report letter. He also asked me to assist the Empire in exterminating Violet and can summon him if necessary. Unfortunately, he licked my feet for two hours before I finally agreed.”
“You’ve found a way to kill Violet once and for all?”
“No.” Jima said, “Even if she dies, she might resurrect from some place. No matter how sanctified the treatment, it only prolongs her resurrection time. Are you willing to take that risk? We haven’t even gauged Violet’s power; if she explodes, you could die on the spot or be captured.”
“I’m willing.” Acanis said, “Even if she kills me or turns me into a human puppet and makes me her pet for life, I’m willing to bet this once. I’ve been eagerly looking forward to watching her noble face turn to ashes. I haven’t seen a noble I like other than the Emperor.”
“Alright.” Jima said, “Then get ready.”
“Okay.” Acanis rubbed his fists together.
A cold wind blew on the back of his neck, and a faint female voice sounded, “Dear husband, why are you so cruel to me?”
Acanis suddenly turned around and drew his curved dagger, only to see Violet, looking like a puppet, standing behind him, causing him to hunch down in fear and exclaim, “Isn’t this a dream?”
Violet charged towards him and said, “Come on, let’s do something that a couple does today.”
“No! Please!”
But Violet suddenly vanished, and Acanis glared angrily at Jima, who was laughing to the side.
“Who told you not to start writing me notes?” Jima said, “Do you not know the sacrifices I’ve made to deceive Violet? Hurry and apologize.”
Acanis looked at Jima and asked, “Have you also been defiled by a living corpse?”
Bastard! How could there be such a good thing.
Jima tightened her face and did not respond.
Acanis bent down and sincerely and sympathetically said, “I’m sorry, my good friend.”
“Alright, I forgive you.” Jima said, “Just remember to repay the debt later; recently, I’ve had a conflict with an enemy in the demon realm, and a fight is about to break out; you must come.”
“Who?”
“The current eternal divine choice, Marus.”
Acanis almost wanted to take back his promise, but thinking of how Jima was defiled for his sake, he gritted his teeth and said, “Fine, I’ll help.”
