Chapter 88 The Abyss Rift of the Charity Gala is Awakening

Verion's arrival marked the official start of the charity gala.

Everyone in the banquet hall stopped talking and stared at Verion and Eve standing in front of them.

The young king was already displaying his majesty, just like the Lionheart who had once stood here, revealing a strong desire for control over the empire.

Willian publicly announced, "From today onwards, all savings from royal banquets, as well as half of the taxes from future royal celebrations, will be donated to the Princess Eve Charitable Fund to support medical care for impoverished families."

The nobles below the stage applauded enthusiastically, their laughter hidden behind feather fans. "Our Emperor is truly adept at winning the hearts of the people."

"In any case, these royal taxes will only flow into the national treasury, and he can use them however he wants."

Verion nodded to Eve. "This is a gift for you, Eve."

Eve bowed gracefully. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I like it very much."

Verion turned to the audience and calmly said, “At the same time, effective immediately, mandatory donations are hereby permanently abolished. Imperial student loans will also be established. Any citizen who passes the one-star job qualification exam, regardless of their background, can apply for an interest-free tuition loan for the next three years. The loan amount will increase with each star level achieved. Specific proposals will be discussed in detail in tomorrow's council.”

A few words instantly cooled and froze the harmonious atmosphere of the party.

The conservative nobles looked grim and remained silent for a while before forcing smiles and clapping along with him, led by Xiwen. They quickly exchanged glances, all sensing each other's dissatisfaction.

A quarter of those donations went into the national treasury, while the remaining three-quarters were passed up the chain of command from the bottom up, with some families receiving even more than the royal family.

Aurora stood beside Ancia and gasped, "Your Majesty is truly bold to undertake so many reforms at once."

Ancia said calmly, "Villien will stop at nothing to achieve the result he wants."

The ball began, and soothing music played in the banquet hall. Ancia, carrying a glass of juice, went out onto the terrace.

Vilian was standing on the terrace, rubbing his temples wearily, when he heard familiar footsteps. "Ancia, you're here."

Ancia: "You acted quickly. I thought you would have waited a little longer."

Villiers: "If we continue to endure this, the outcome won't change. We might as well erupt all at once. These reforms will affect the interests of many people, so let's see how they react."

He gazed silently at the distant lights, his aloofness softening in the cold wind, seemingly transforming into loneliness. He suddenly uttered, "Am I being too hasty?"

Ancia looked at him. Verion didn't need comforting words, just her gaze. "But you did it anyway."

Verion nodded gracefully, as if that sense of loneliness was just Ancia's illusion. "That's right, now that it's done, there's no need to regret it."

The clock struck midnight; it was already the next day.

Ancia: "Villien, what do you want for your birthday? You can make a wish too."

The lights of the Eternal City were reflected in Verion's grey eyes as he spoke softly, "My wish... you know. I hope this country can truly prosper, and I hope that I can see less of the helplessness I've witnessed."

He curled the corners of his mouth indifferently, "As for the rest, I've known since I was a child that being too greedy is a major taboo in scheming. In my past, birthdays were not something to be celebrated, so I'll pass on birthday gifts."

Anciya was also warning herself that being soft-hearted towards the male lead was a big no-no, and feeling sorry for him was an even bigger no-no.

Villion added, "The best gift is simply that someone remembers my birthday and asks me what I want."

He turned his head, his light eyes filled only with Ancia's presence, like the tail end of a cold winter grasping the first wisp of spring breeze, and said softly, "Thank you, Ancia."

“…Let me think about what to give you.” Anciya blurted out, then expressionlessly cast a Cleansing Spirit Incantation on herself.

Wake up! Why can't you shake your habit of pitying beautiful women with broken hearts?

Verion chuckled. "Alright, I'll be waiting."

Just as Ancia was about to speak, a subtle fluctuation of magic emanated from the air, and the magical artifact on Verion's sleeve began to issue a warning. His expression changed slightly, and a staff appeared in his hand.

Xiwen, who was guarding the terrace, keenly drew his staff, his magic ready to be unleashed.

Ancia stared intently at the point in the air, where the shadow stretched long, and Mortley appeared from the spatial rift. A sense of foreboding washed over her. Judging from the immense dark magic emanating from this body, this wasn't Mortley's shadow clone left in Gracia, but his true form.

Mortley's breathing was slightly disordered, his body was still stained with the blood of monsters that had not yet dried, and his brows were furrowed.

Sven stepped in front of Vilian and whispered a rebuke to Mertri, "What does the Nightwalker want by suddenly appearing in the palace?"

Ancia stepped forward and asked urgently, "What happened in the Monster Mountain Range? Where are the students who were training?"

Without even glancing at the two mages, Mortley reported to Ancia, "The abyssal rift in the Monster Mountain Range has expanded, extending from the depths of the mountain range to its central part. Wherever the rift spreads, all magical beasts have vanished. The abyssal rift is actively devouring all living things, and the students have been evacuated immediately."

Vilian stood up straight, staring intently at Mortley's face, trying to find any sign of a joke. "Devouring all magical beasts? Mortley, do you know what you're saying?" He then turned to Ancia, his face tense. "You...you knew all along? Why didn't you report it immediately?"

Ancia looked over calmly. "Because there's no evidence. When Mortley and I ventured deep into the Monster Mountain Range, we witnessed the Abyss Rift devouring many high-level magical beasts, but the whole process only lasted a very short time, and there was no further evidence to prove that it ever happened. So I had Mortley keep a close eye on that area and report any unusual activity immediately. If I go around saying there's something unusual about the Abyss Rift, who will believe me?"

No one would believe it, not only because there was no evidence, but also because the shadow of the demon invasion still lingered in the hearts of the people of this country. They dared not and were unwilling to believe that the demons would plot another conspiracy.

A faint commotion arose, and Ancia looked outside to see Heligalo supporting the Pope as they entered the banquet hall, followed by three cardinals.

The Papacy and the royal family have maintained a superficial harmony over the years, but tonight, all the top figures of the Papacy are present at the royal princess's birthday charity gala, and the nobles in the room are whispering among themselves.

Verion walked into the hall, with Sven following closely behind.

The Pope looked even older than last year, and his energy and spirit had waned considerably. Noticing Verion's unpleasant expression, he said directly, "It seems His Majesty has also learned of the news."

Verion's eyes sharpened. "If His Holiness the Pope is referring to what happened in the Monster Mountain Range, I only just learned of it myself."

The Pope's breathing became rapid, but gradually calmed down under the soothing light magic of Verion. His body was already at its limit, only his spirit remained tenacious and vigorous. "Your Majesty's information is correct. The Abyss Rift is awakening."

Verion: "I remember that the Holy See was responsible for sealing the Abyss Rift, so they should know it best."

The Pope coughed violently. "Your Majesty, now is not the time to hold the Papacy accountable! The Papacy's seal is already showing signs of collapse..."

Verion: "I'm not accusing the Holy See of dereliction of duty, but rather wondering what kind of conspiracy might be brewing if the Abyss has devoured a vast number of magical beasts?"

The Pope sighed. "Everything exists in balance. The Abyss wouldn't absorb so much energy for no reason. There's only one possibility: it's trying to break through the Papacy's seal. According to the news from the Bishop of Red Maple City, the Abyss Rift has now stopped in the middle of the Monster Mountain Range and has stopped expanding."

Verion: "Is this a good thing?"

The Pope shook his head. "No, there are two possibilities. One is that the magical beasts outside the mountains contain too little energy, insufficient to satisfy the abyss. But once the abyss begins to devour, it won't stop, so this possibility is very small. The second is..."

He was breathing heavily when Heligalo steadied the Pope and took over his words, speaking calmly and steadily, "Your Majesty Velien, what His Holiness the Pope means is that the demons may have directly sacrificed a demon general-level being to satisfy the Abyss. Once the Abyss has digested the energy from both sides, it will be able to forcibly open a temporary Abyss Gate."

Verion's face was so dark it could drip water, and three words escaped from his tightly pursed lips: "Red Maple City."

Once the Gates of the Abyss open, the demon army will once again launch an attack on the human race, and the first place to become a battlefield will be the city that was once rebuilt—Red Maple City.

Ancia's face was deathly pale. She gripped her wand tightly to calm herself down. The demon invasion was indeed a possible main storyline in the game, but that would only happen at the beginning of the fourth school year, before the players had successfully ventured into the abyss and killed the Demon King!

At her current level, becoming a seven-star priest in her third year would be a piece of cake. Then, she could call on Mortley and her mentor Cheryl, bring all the magical items and relics, and level up using the Seven Demon Generals. By the time she finally reached the Demon King's Palace, her strength and level would be sufficient to kill the Demon King.

It's not even the end of the second academic year yet, so why is it starting so early?!

And then there's Red Maple City. It's only the beginning of winter, yet the city's residents are still eagerly awaiting the New Bud Festival, celebrating another winter of survival...

Golden light pierced through space and leaped to Ancia's side; it was Cheryl's telepathic magic.

"Ancia, come to the Moon Tower and tell Merriel to come too. The Dean wants to see us."

Ancia took a few deep breaths and gently patted Merriel's arm. "Our mentor told us to go back to the Moon Tower of the academy."

Her complexion improved somewhat; she had almost forgotten that the Dean was still there. He was the strongest astrologer in the world, said to be even more powerful than a mage, and he would surely be able to help fight against the demons.

Mortley picked up Ancia and carried her back to Gracia. Ancia ran quickly up the shell staircase. This time, the room that opened was different from the star rooms she had seen before; it was a proper, ordinary reception room.

The reception room was filled with Gracia's teachers, except for Diana and Isabel. One was the head of the Royal Magicians' Guild, and the other was a Cardinal of the Holy See; both of them were currently in the palace.

Despite the magnitude of the crisis, the Dean remained relaxed. He spoke softly and with great certainty, "The Demon Race is not preparing for an attack, but has already completed all preparations for attacking the Human Race. According to the revelation of the star trails, the Abyss Gate will open within a month."