The change of ownership in the underworld was nothing short of a seismic event for the subterranean pantheon of the elves. The subsequent upheaval was even harder to digest. Nisu, the Gatekeeper of the Underworld, was instantly killed by Olica without any warning, which was nothing less than a catastrophic disaster for the subterranean pantheon.
Nisu was the son of the Pale Queen, Ers-Haai, and also her subordinate deity. He was responsible for guarding and overseeing all the elven souls in the underworld until the Pale Queen deemed the time was right. Nisu was not only a guardian but also a protector, commanding the entire army of the underworld, ensuring that no intruder could steal the secrets of the elven souls—unless someone could offer the Pale Queen a tribute that satisfied her.
For the dark elves who worshipped Nisu, he was a guardian deity. His runes and amulets could ward off diseases and the corruption of Slaanesh. However, for the high elves who did not worship Nisu, he was a malevolent god. Carving his divine symbols in inconspicuous places in high elf dwellings (such as under bed boards) would subject the high elves to endless nightmares and curses, exhausting them both physically and mentally.
This was how the reckless King Morville was tortured to death.
Olica stood before what was now her domain. The entire underworld was under her control, but the new Pale Queen did not feel at ease. The dark elves knew that if not for a series of coincidences, she could not have so easily usurped and devoured her mother.
First, the Pale Queen herself had issues. She had anticipated Olica's possible betrayal but was indifferent to her plans and preparations because her only thought was to seize the opportunity during the End Times to possess Olica and kill Asuryan and Malekith. Everything revolved around this goal.
This extremely stubborn and curse-filled supreme deity of the underworld had no interest in understanding anything else and was completely unaware of what Olica had gained from Ryan.
This was extremely rare among deities. For example, as the first chosen of the Lady of the Lake, Morgiana, the Lady's actions and all her abilities were fully known to the Lady of the Lake, leaving no room for concealment or preparation.
It could only be said that Ers-Haai's hatred for Asuryan outweighed everything else, and this lack of interest in understanding her chosen, avatar, or fragment was extremely rare among deities.
Second, Olica encountered Ryan. The dark elf's luck was arguably the first in seven thousand years of elven history. Normally, as a chosen, avatar, or fragment of a deity, Olica's power and divine magic came from the Pale Queen. This relationship was similar to taking a loan from a bank and then playing futures leverage hedging with that bank. This method was doomed to fail, which was why the Pale Queen had no defenses.
With Ryan, Olica was able to draw infinite pure psychic energy from his spirit marks to confront the Pale Queen.
Third, from the perspective of the pantheon, Olica's act of "overthrowing the superior" was bound to attract the entire subterranean pantheon, and even the heavenly pantheon of the elves. The elven gods would never tolerate Olica, a mere avatar fragment, killing a major deity and usurping divine authority, divine status, and divine fire. The gods were likely to form a coalition or even jointly attack Olica.
However, times had changed. Whether from the heavenly or subterranean pantheon, every elven god was too preoccupied to care about what was happening in the underworld. They were either on the brink of collapse under the erosion and attacks of Chaos or desperately searching for suitable avatars. Some gods (such as Lileath, Kurnous, and Isha) had even descended to the mortal world. Who had the time to deal with Olica?
Things were going relatively smoothly. The new supreme deity of the underworld strode down the steps.
Olica now possessed only half of the Pale Queen's previous power, with another thirty to forty percent still to be digested. But she had already gained control of the underworld and began to inspect her army.
The underworld had over forty thousand Pale Guards, the elite divine army carefully selected by the Pale Queen, serving as the backbone of the realm. With the dissolution of the Great Guardian, these forces could be deployed to the battlefield at Olica's command.
Of course, the Pale Guards were not as powerful as the Phoenix Guards of Asuryan, the Phoenix King.
What caught Olica's attention the most was the most elite and powerful force of the Pale Queen, Ers-Haai.
The Nefelim Executioner Legion.
This thousand-strong legion was composed of the undead of once-mighty elven warriors. In life, each of them had achieved great feats, enjoying endless glory and fame as unparalleled heroes. Now, they were all servants of the Pale Queen. Even so, this ghostly legion wielding lightning-edged greatswords instilled fear in the gods. Only when mortals offered the highest sacrifices would the Nefelim Executioners march out, delivering bloody and cruel executions to their enemies.
Olica smiled slightly. Then, the soul of a legendary dark elf hero, the former first champion of the Witch King Malekith, Yurian Poisonblade, appeared before her and pledged his allegiance.
Yurian Poisonblade was once the Witch King's most favored general, possessing terrifying martial skills and cunning. Legend had it that Yurian was a warrior bred by the Witch King for war, a destroyer on the battlefield and a reaper of enemy lives.
Yurian's cruelty was even more fearsome than his legendary killing skills. Even his subordinates said he had the heart of a demon. He was also an invincible commander, unstoppable wherever he went.
If not for this dark elf champion's drunken boast that "even Khaine is no match for me," his legendary tale could have continued. But the Bloody-Handed God Khaine, upon hearing this, flew into a rage and inflicted the most brutal punishment on Yurian. He was skinned and surgically reshaped into a high elf prince, forced to infiltrate Ulthuan, gain Finubar's trust, and carry out assassinations.
Yurian was initially successful. He gained Finubar's trust and became his right-hand man. He also won the heart of the Everqueen, becoming her lover, and poisoned his own member to kill the previous Everqueen during a secret rendezvous.
Unfortunately, during the Battle of Finuval Plain, Yurian was ultimately defeated by the future war leader Tyrion and killed by him.
Yurian Poisonblade's soul had nowhere to go. He was neither accepted by the Waystones nor the divine realms of the elven heavenly gods. Having offended Khaine, he was also rejected by the subterranean gods and had no desire to be consumed by Slaanesh. Thus, he had no choice but to become a servant of the Pale Queen.
Olica had absolute control over him.
After arranging everything, all was set.
In the mortal world, the headquarters of the Pale Queen's cult was located in the deepest part of the Titan Peaks in southern Naggaroth, in the very hidden settlement of Quintaex. Olica immediately ordered all her followers to gather there and prepare for the End Times.
Meanwhile, Olica learned that the Chaos forces in the north had breached the dark elves' northern fortress wall. The Witch Queen Morathi and her Hag Queens of the Hexensabbat in Ghrond, the northernmost stronghold of Naggaroth, had not issued any warnings. Now, the Chaos army led by the Bride of Khorne, Valkia, had surrounded another northern stronghold, the city of Har Ganeth, headquarters of the Cult of Khaine, and was rapidly advancing towards the dark elf capital, Naggarond.
The Witch King's army was still on its way to attack Ulthuan.
"Good," the new Pale Queen's figure disappeared from her underworld realm.
... I am the dividing line of all preparations ...
In the Old World, in Bretonnia, within the training room of the Palace of Fontainebleau.
The new Pale Queen, the supreme deity of the underworld, Olica, still wore her favorite black-and-white maid outfit and white stockings, but now adorned with the Pale Crown and a white rose-thorn cloak. The dark elf smiled as she held a small bowl, with the twin swords of the Pale Queen—Pale Feather and Withering Flower—hanging at her waist.
"Ugh…" Weak groans came from the training room.
Our Grey Knight Primarch Ryan lay sprawled on the bed in a "大" shape. Compared to his usual self, Ryan now had sunken eyes, dark circles, a pale complexion, and was utterly exhausted, lying on the bed like a dead dog.
"Water… water…" Ryan weakly gasped. "Water, Olica… Sylvia… Sulia… Lileath, where are you? Water, I need water."
Ryan had not anticipated that merely releasing his psychic energy once would result in Olica draining all of it in one go, leaving him completely dried up.
Now, Ryan didn't even have the strength to move a finger. The Sun King was carried to the bed by Olica, and then the dark elf left, leaving Ryan lying there like a dead dog, gasping for breath.
"Clang—" The door opened, and Olica walked in with a bright smile. Her aura was like a blooming rose with thorns—beautiful yet dangerously alluring.
The dark elf maid's footsteps were light, her black velvet high heels clicking softly on the carpet. Her delicate white-stockinged feet glowed faintly within the open-toed heels, her smooth, pale arches visible. The crisp sound of her heels grew closer.
"Master, it's time to take your medicine," Olica said with a sweet smile. The dark elf was now enveloped in divine light. She wore light makeup, but her eyeshadow and eyebrows were a pale purple. In her hands, she held a bowl of medicinal soup. "Master, drink this. You'll feel better."
Ryan felt a chill run down his spine. This scene… why does it feel so familiar?
Damn it! Ryan had no strength left. He tried to struggle but couldn't even move. The Sun King watched as Olica approached and could only say, "Olica? Where… where's Sylvia?"
"Your head maid?" Olica smiled even sweeter. "Sylvia can't help you, nor can she help me. I've already taken care of her for you, Master. Don't worry."
"You…" Ryan's eyes widened in disbelief. "Olica, you…"
"Master~ Don't you know? For us Druchii, anything useless is better off discarded," Olica giggled, stirring the soup gently with a spoon. The new Pale Queen, the supreme goddess of the underworld, had a playful yet dangerous look in her eyes, as if she was eagerly anticipating Ryan's reaction. "Master, you're so smart. I've known for a long time that I only need to rely on you for many things. Isn't that right, Master?"
Ryan's heart rate shot up to 400 beats per second. Having all his psychic energy drained by Olica, the Sun King was filled with regret. He truly hadn't thought things through and never expected Olica to drain all his power in one go!
Could it be…
"Master, why aren't you drinking?" Olica tried to feed Ryan, but he kept his mouth tightly shut. The dark elf giggled uncontrollably. "Drink it, and you won't have to worry about anything anymore. Ohohoho~"
Her laughter sent shivers down Ryan's spine. The Primarch mustered all his strength to shake his head slightly. "I don't want to drink right now."
"Tsk tsk tsk, Master is being disobedient," the dark elf goddess smiled but didn't force him. She placed the bowl aside and sat on the edge of the bed. She reached out with her black lace-gloved hand, adorned with rose patterns, and gently caressed Ryan's face. "Master, you're so handsome. I never get tired of looking at you."
Ryan glanced sideways at Olica, his eyes filled with extreme wariness and a hint of fear.
After a few seconds of silence, Ryan asked a pointless question: "You succeeded, Olica?"
"If I had failed, would I be here now?" Olica replied with a sweet smile.
"Congratulations, new Pale Queen," Ryan said, his voice somewhat cold.
"Master, don't be so cold," the dark elf goddess said, noticing Ryan's indifferent expression. She paused, then smiled. "Do you remember where we first met, Master?"
"In Marienburg, when you became a slave at the auction," Ryan said uncertainly.
"Hehe, wrong. Our first meeting was in Nord," Olica said, laughing joyfully. "It was in Nord, but you didn't notice me back then. You were just a teenager."
"???" Ryan's eyes widened.
"Back then, I was already drawn to you. Your power was special, unique, and… interesting," Olica clapped her hands, her joy evident. "After that, a plan was set in motion."
"???!!!" Ryan's expression changed drastically. "Are you saying… everything was part of your plan? Becoming a slave? Being auctioned? Becoming my maid?"
"Not entirely," Olica shook her head. "During my return voyage and the raid on Ulthuan, I was defeated and injured by the Phoenix Guard captain, Cardorion. I could have escaped; I wasn't completely powerless. But I thought, isn't this a perfect opportunity to get close to you? So, I pretended to lose all my magic and let the slavers capture me, pretending to be a slave, being auctioned, all to get close to you, analyze you, understand you, and obtain your secrets and power."
"But what about Hadrian?!" Ryan was beginning to piece together a horrifying truth.
"Master, haven't you seen my mind-control magic?" Olica giggled. "A little nudge was all it took to make a merchant with no resistance to magic decide to invest in a hero with limitless potential. Even if it hadn't been Hadrian, some other wealthy merchant would have bought me and sent me to you."
"You…" Ryan was truly frightened now. The Primarch tried to sit up but, after a few attempts, exhausted his strength and collapsed back onto the bed. "You… you…"
"Fifty years of planning, and today, I've finally succeeded. I deceived everyone, even myself. Now, I, Olica Discortia, am the Pale Queen and the ultimate victor. Hahaha!" Olica's maniacal laughter echoed through the training room. "And I owe it all to you, Master!"
Ryan tried to manipulate the spirit marks on Olica's body, but he had no psychic energy left. Olica, now the supreme goddess of the underworld, had completely suppressed his power.
"Someone… someone! Someone… someone!" Ryan, lying like a dead dog, could only whisper or weakly slap the bedsheet. "Someone…"
"Someone? Master, the training room is soundproof, and you told Sylvia and all the servants to stay outside. My underworld winds have enveloped the entire room. No one is coming," Olica gently caressed Ryan's face. "Master, do you remember the New Year we spent together at the winery? Morgiana was there too. Back then, she was still a weakling. Do you remember when a Tomb King construct suddenly attacked the winery?"
"Why… are you bringing this up now?" Ryan was confused.
"That was my doing. I wanted to test whether you truly cared for me," Olica smiled. "Congratulations, Master. You passed all my tests. You never treated me as a tool or anything else. You genuinely liked me, cherished me, and cared for me. If not for you, I might have followed my mother's path. Being by your side, Olica was happy every moment, every touch."
"Otherwise, Master, you would be the one lying dead here today," Olica patted Ryan's shoulder, her smile genuine once more. "Today, I just want to remind you, Master. Your weakness is your sentimentality. Don't be so quick to trust women, especially a certain goddess like Lileath. Letting her drain all your psychic energy without restraint—your so-called confidence in your high spirit marks is impressive, but you still need to retain enough strength to suppress them. As for me, I had no choice. To defeat my mother, I had to go all out, holding nothing back."
Ryan looked at Olica as the dark elf drank the medicinal soup from the bowl, then held it in her mouth and forced it into Ryan's mouth through a kiss. "This is medicine made from the Life Spring of the Oak of Ages. My mother, Ers-Haai, once obtained some of the Life Spring's water from Isha. Drink it, and you'll feel better, Master."
"Ah… ah…" Sure enough, as soon as the Life Spring water entered his mouth, Ryan immediately felt better.
"Olica," Ryan gasped, his heart still racing from the day's events. He said with a hint of sarcasm, "Thank you for sparing my life."
"Rest well, Master. Olica must leave you for a while to gather the army in Naggaroth," the dark elf goddess gently kissed Ryan's lips again. For a rare moment, Olica's expression was tender and affectionate, as if she wanted to etch Ryan's face into her soul. "Don't overthink it. No matter what happens in the future, I will always be your Olica, your personal maid."
As soon as she finished speaking, the door opened, and Morgiana, the Lady of the Lake, walked in. She looked puzzled.
"Olica, you called for me? Ryan's here too? What's wrong with him?"
The dark elf goddess ignored Morgiana. She simply sighed. "While Master recovers and I must temporarily leave, I'll have to leave him in the care of this lake goddess sow. She's the only suitable choice; there's no one else."
"???" Before Morgiana could react, Olica had already turned into a mist of pale purple and vanished from the room.
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This is Olica.
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