Late at night.
Inside the Holy City.
Now, within just half a month, Elisa had achieved impressive results. She was no longer just a titular Empress; the looks many people gave her had become friendly.
Because of the Archbishop's incident, many had died in the North District, and no one was willing to go there, fearing pollution or curses... but she personally led the cleanup, settling the matter.
"Sister Elisa~"
The little girl she had saved greeted her every time she saw her now, occasionally offering a small flower.
"..."
That child's parents might have truly feared the "Succubus" at first, but now they could smile and greet the Princess.
No one refused to acknowledge Elisa. After all, the situation in the Holy City was recovering at a visible speed, even showing signs of becoming better than before.
"Princess Elisa."
"..."
There was only one person whom Elisa wanted to avoid at this moment.
"Ara, are you really leaving? Even if the custom white silk stockings are finished, you don't want them?"
"...Shut up, just deliver them tonight! Don't you dare use me and him as a gimmick again!"
If the courtesan hadn't actually been helping her, Elisa would have wanted to cut her down.
It was all because of what the courtesan said that day.
Ever since then, no matter what she wore, the noble ladies would fanatically follow the trend, thinking it was what Silas liked. Whenever she went out to handle affairs, she would be surrounded by noble ladies asking this and that.
It was annoying. She wasn't some "Lingerie Empress"; she didn't know what kind of push-up would make breasts look bigger!
"Don't worry, I know where the line is... they don't know what high-grade materials Princess Elisa provided. They can't recreate this effect."
"..."
"Are you really not going to try them on? If they don't fit well or look good, and the Duke doesn't like them..."
"..."
Elisa bit her lip, looking around like a guilty thief to make sure no one was there before entering the courtesan's room.
"Oh, Princess Elisa's legs are so white... even though they are so slender, your breasts aren't small at all."
"..."
Aren't you measuring my legs? Why are you focusing on my chest?
"Mmh, the thighs are also quite fleshy..."
"How... how much longer?"
Elisa asked, enduring the shame.
"Let me think, such beautiful feet... how will the Duke play with them? Like this, or like that? Ah, thinking about the hardworking and serious Princess Elisa being so diligent for a man behind the scenes... it's just so cute."
"Eeek?!"
"..."
Walking out of the courtesan's room, Elisa felt as if her entire body had been felt up.
But she couldn't argue.
Because the courtesan was teaching her hand-on-hand how to make Silas more comfortable. Even the foot stuff... she demonstrated it personally.
She even said that when Elisa truly becomes Empress, she shouldn't forget to write her into the history books as the "Empress's Sexual Enlightenment Teacher." Like hell she would! If anyone was a sex-crazed teacher, it was the courtesan!
It was all his fault.
That she had to endure such humiliation...
However, the white silk in her pocket felt extremely comfortable and high-end to the touch... very thin.
This time, he should be satisfied, right?
Those were private goods she had secretly scavenged from a noble mansion. As royalty, secretly misappropriating public property... it should be fine! She would just pay it back later.
Pitter-patter.
Suddenly, it started to rain.
Elisa quickened her pace home.
"Good evening, Princess Elisa."
Someone called out to her, smiling, "It seems Leitman and the others are back; they're all soaked quite badly. Duke Silas must be back too."
"..."
Really?
It's been over half a month, and he's finally back today.
"For the next few days, Princess Elisa won't need to walk all over the city and be so busy. You won't have to wait at the city gates anymore. Please take a good rest; everyone is saying that if Princess Elisa continues like this, she might turn into a 'husband-watching stone'."
"...Thank you."
Elisa quickened her pace, feeling a bit ashamed.
She didn't watch every day; she just glanced during the gaps when she passed the city gates. What if she just happened to see him?
Calling her a "husband-watching stone," it hadn't reached that point yet... the steps for royalty to marry are very complicated. She didn't know how long it would take to prepare. He hadn't even said when they would marry!
It was just her, like an idiot, thinking about it foolishly every day.
Despite many daily annoyances, Elisa—who was already practically the Empress and deeply loved by both nobles and commoners—was very optimistic. She lived a fulfilling and satisfied life.
At most, she felt a bit lonely when she returned home and found Silas still hadn't returned.
But today would be different!
"You're ba—"
She pushed the door open excitedly, the "la" she planned to say in a cute tone as the courtesan suggested hadn't even left her mouth when she saw that Silas wasn't alone; Leitman and several other nobles were in the room.
"Is Princess Elisa back? Lord Silas, rest assured, I will go mobilize everyone immediately. As you said, this matter can no longer be hidden. Everyone must face this together."
Leitman was soaked through, leaving with a stern expression.
The other nobles looked at Elisa with weary expressions, forced out a smile to greet her, and left as well.
"..."
In the room, there were only the puddles left by their stools and the soaking wet Silas.
"W-What were you all talking about?"
"A bit of a tricky matter."
Silas casually took a towel to dry his hair and looked at the bag in Elisa's hand.
"What's that? Food? I'm actually quite hungry."
"It's not food!"
Elisa's cheeks flushed slightly; actually, could it count as food?
After all, he sometimes put it in his mouth.
"Are you hungry? I kept some food. I'll go heat it up."
Even though she was very concerned about what Silas and Leitman were discussing, Elisa thought that since Silas said it was just a "tricky matter," she shouldn't pry.
Most importantly, according to what the courtesan taught her, she should speak less awkwardly, be cuter, and be more charming...
"..."
Soon, she watched Silas eat voraciously.
She couldn't help but feel a bit pained for him.
What kind of life was this man living out there?
"I... I'll help you bathe."
"Mmh? The Princess has become a bit..."
"..."
A bit what?
Do you think I'm cute?
Scrubbing his back and such were small matters. If he only knew... she even learned from the courtesan that she could use her breasts to help scrub. Mmh. Not yet, the difficulty level is too high for her right now.
During the gap while Silas was getting dressed.
Elisa's heart raced as she ran to change into the new white silk stockings. She blew out the oil lamp.
"So, in your bag were stockings?"
"Ah... the courtesan insisted on stuffing them in, so I..."
Elisa couldn't bring herself to say that because Silas casually mentioned thinner was better, she had run off to get them custom-made.
"Very erotic. Very beautiful."
"..."
The word "erotic" was unnecessary!
Elisa felt increasingly ashamed. Wouldn't this make it seem like she had waited a long time and really wanted to do it with him?
But was there anything wrong with that?
He surely also...
"Mgh."
As expected, he kissed her immediately.
A French kiss; the courtesan had demonstrated with her tongue moving around in front of her, and though she didn't quite understand... entangling was the right way.
"Hah..."
Elisa now knew why her thighs were getting so hot.
That was what the courtesan called "entering the state."
But the courtesan said, generally, it takes a few minutes. They had only been kissing for a few seconds and she was already like this... it m-must be some magic of his, it's not like she was naturally like this.
"Princess, I still have some things to finish right now. Can you wait for me for a bit?"
"...Eh? Okay."
What else was there?
Does he not want to do it? Was he tired? It was very likely. Returning from so far away, and all she thought about was putting on new stockings for that.
"..."
Seeing Silas go out, Elisa just sat silently at the table waiting.
It wasn't long.
She noticed a commotion outside.
There seemed to be an argument.
She went to the window and listened intently.
"Tear down what we worked so hard to build?! Just like that?!"
"What dense crowd of Living Dead are you talking about? Why haven't I seen them? Even if they exist, our Holy City now has a knight order of over a thousand people. Are you afraid we can't hold them?"
"..."
She dimly glimpsed that it was Leitman confronting the merchant.
Why tear down the houses?
Unease welled up in Elisa's heart. She wrapped herself in a thick coat and rushed down immediately.
"What Leitman said is true. Not far from the Holy City, a massive number of Living Dead are coming. A knight order of only a thousand, including reserves, isn't enough to fill their teeth. Because of this rain, we must tear down the houses in the city to create usable fire walls. Otherwise, no one will survive."
"..."
She stood in the dark corner, watching Silas, wearing a hood, personally lead Leitman to the homes of residents unwilling to support the demolition to carry out forceful persuasion. With the "Duke" present, the work proceeded smoothly.
Silas finished his business.
He returned to the academy room feeling somewhat worried; there was no other reason than he still felt it wasn't safe enough.
But what else could he do?
Even if a Gunslinger Apprentice's skills were accurate, they couldn't wipe out a horde. X-Ray vision was useless against that many Living Dead. Swordsmanship and Hypnosis were the same.
They were all single-target skills.
"..."
Elisa hadn't slept; she was sitting on the bed, staring at him blankly.
"What you said about the 'tricky matter'... what's going on?"
"Elisa, you just need to continue growing at your own pace. I'll handle the things outside the city."
"Then... if I have something, I can immediately ask you and rely on you. If you have something, can't we switch?"
Those eyes were very determined.
"..."
Silas sighed.
It made no difference whether he told her or not. With things like this, she would find out sooner or later.
"Two days' journey from the Holy City, there are many Living Dead coming this way. Likely the work of the Church."
"So, the reason for tearing down the houses is because of this rain..."
Silas explained the situation.
"...Mmh, it seems it's not something I can solve."
Elisa lowered her gaze, pressing her toes together. "Then in two days, the Holy City will be overrun?"
"It won't."
"...If it is overrun, I'll take you back to the cave, okay?"
Elisa suddenly raised her face, forcing a smile.
"?"
"Anyway, I've lived as a fugitive before. I'll have plenty of experience."
Silas felt like she was becoming suppressed.
Sigh.
Originally, Silas had Leitman arrange things secretly just so the people in the city wouldn't know. But now he couldn't think of anything else. It was impossible to win without going all out. The image of this little chef dying alone on the city walls was still clear... she hadn't run away.
But with him there, she was willing to let her family bear the infamy again?
"Do you want to... do that?"
"I-I learned a few things..."
"..."
Silas wasn't the type who liked to do lewd things on the eve of a great battle.
But everything that could be done had been done. All that remained was waiting; if it worked, it worked; if not, he'd load the save and try again. The worst-case scenario might truly involve taking her and running.
"..."
Why, during the gap in her blowjob, did she choose to point her butt at him?
"S-She said... men will be... happy when they see a butt."
"..."
To be precise, seeing black lace panties wrapped in white silk would inevitably cause excitement. A desire to tear them.
Who is "she"?
The courtesan? The teaching is quite advanced.
"..."
Silas just placed his hand on Elisa's buttocks and knew that this pair of white silk stockings was completely different in quality from the last one. Too smooth, too thin.
No different from the ones he had seen in his previous life. Maybe even better.
Squelch, squelch.
The more seriously she swallowed him, the more her buttocks shook, and the panties became visibly soaked.
"Elisa."
Silas patted her butt.
"Ugh... are you coming in?"
She was a bit ashamed, but she honestly pulled off her stockings, dragging the panties down with them. In that moment, a few sticky threads of moisture snapped.
"..."
"Mmh..."
Today's Princess seemed willing to let a few charming sounds escape from her gritted teeth.
And her honey pot occasionally proactively met him.
Was it because she knew the situation of the Holy City and wanted to give him more?
No options appeared.
In other words, if he fell asleep here, the live feed would end.
Silas thought that his current constitution was strong enough. It wouldn't be a problem to stay up until the horde arrived. Anyway, at that time, it wouldn't be about individual strength; it would be about whether the preparations were useful.
"Is... is just once enough?"
After finishing, Elisa asked.
"As the one who started this, it's not appropriate for me to play here too much. Don't worry, once this is over, I probably won't even need to leave the city."
Lewd things are great.
But until the work was finished, Silas couldn't fully immerse himself. Although he could treat Leitman and the others as NPCs, failing to even be hands-on when he wanted to do something, only caring about playing with Elisa's silk-wrapped feet... failure would be inevitable.
Wait until it's over, then play to his heart's content.
"I'm going too!"
"?"
"The Holy City is being torn down; there's no need for me to manage it anymore. I'm coming together! I am the Empress now!"
Elisa smiled and patted her large "white rabbits."
"Fine."
Silas didn't refuse.
Two days passed in a flash.
Whether willing or not, the people in the Holy City began to understand the gravity of the situation. Everything in the city that could be used as fuel was piled up around the city walls.
Anything heavy that could be moved was used to block the city gates.
By afternoon, the first wave of the horde arrived even faster than Silas had predicted. Just standing on the walls, one could easily spot the dense black dots.
"..."
Everyone's faces turned pale.
"Prepare to light the fire!"
Only Elisa stood tall at the front, holding a torch.
With her clear and undeniable voice, the pre-assigned torchbearers took their positions.
"Archers, ready!"
Those who picked up bows gritted their teeth; all the arrows were tipped with fire.
"..."
Seeing the horde getting closer, Elisa was the first to throw her torch down. "Fire!"
Not only were the woodpiles covered with blankets and clothes along the walls ignited into a massive blaze, but a sky full of arrows was also released.
"..."
The first wave was mostly dealt with, but the next wave followed immediately.
Right beneath the walls, inches away. Everyone could see their hideous faces in the fire up close. One after another, even if they would die, they continued to batter the city gates.
And because so many were piled up, they began to form a mountain of corpses, showing signs of trying to climb up.
"Princess Elisa... what do we do now?"
"Pick up your swords!"
"..."
Honestly, Silas had never seen the hands Elisa usually used to jerk him off holding a sword. She decapitated the Living Dead cleanly and decisively.
I guess I was right.
If this incident is resolved, she will be a truly beloved Empress... no, she already is.
"..."
Silas didn't steal her thunder. He picked up his flintlock and aimed. As long as they were close, he never missed.
But how long would they have to kill?
So many Living Dead were dead, but the numbers coming from behind didn't decrease at all. And the lit fires would at most burn until dawn; they couldn't burn through the increasingly gathered Living Dead... instead, they would be buried by their ashes.
Night.
Elisa divided the guards on the wall into two shifts.
Now, it was her turn to withdraw and rest, while Silas remained as the spiritual pillar. That's how it should have been.
"Can you... come with me for a moment?"
"..."
Silas said nothing, just gave Leitman a few instructions.
He then followed Elisa down the city walls.
Just as they reached a shadow where no one was looking, he was covered by Elisa's lips. Her tongue greedily reached in, drinking.
"Hah..."
After at least half a minute, she let go. She stared blankly at Silas.
"The Holy City cannot be held."
"..."
So?
"I'll take you... back to the cave. Okay? I won't be Empress anymore."
"Elisa?"
"Whatever happens, I don't want... you to die. Please..."
Looking at her cheeks still stained with a bit of Living Dead blood, her eyes weary yet filled with crystal tears.
In fact, Silas didn't care about the lives of the people in the Holy City. To put it bluntly, even if everyone in the city died, as long as he could bring Elisa back and find a way to repopulate the city, he should still be able to complete the mission. It would just waste a lot of time.
However, could she really bear it?
Abandoning the people who had come to trust and love her. Throwing away the confidence she had finally regained.
Soon.
Silas really followed her to the Wild Boar Cave and understood.
"..."
She greedily offered her lips, a long enough kiss.
She didn't care if she was pinned under Silas and covered in dirt or lifted up by Silas for a "random inspection."
"Hah... so big."
She didn't suppress her charming sounds at all. She even boldly used the words she learned from the courtesan.
So, Elisa really wanted to take him and run?
Silas noticed that through the kiss, she had fed him something. Hypnosis didn't work, did she think some drug would?
"..."
Silas didn't sleep at all, even after doing it many times. He was constantly thinking about how to break the situation.
Rustle, rustle...
Before dawn, he heard the sound of Elisa getting dressed. No need to open his eyes; if he wanted, Silas could use X-Ray vision to see through his eyelids; she buttoned her coat and put the torn white silk stockings into her pocket.
She stood there again, staring blankly at Silas.
"I know you definitely wouldn't truly agree... so... that's why I gave you the medicine. I originally asked the courtesan for it... so you wouldn't bully people so much."
"If I were still alive, I would really want to... take you to the cave. Never to face this again..."
"I love you. But... I'm already their Empress. If I abandon my people..."
"I'm sorry."
Elisa wiped her tears and left.
She admitted it. She liked Silas.
But she didn't run away, nor did she need Silas to help her regain her confidence. The current Elisa, even in Silas's eyes, deserved to be called a true Emperor. She had the air of a monarch guarding the nation's gate.
No wonder he had seen the ending where she died fighting alone on the walls before.
[You discovered that Elisa plans to let you escape safely, leaving you a treasure map while she chose to go back.]
[You decided to...]
[Important Choice Triggered]
[Option 1: Immediately chase after her and continue to defend the wall with her.]
[Option 2: Perhaps you should try to find another way.]
[Engaging Free Simulation.]
Chase after her?
Even if he ran up at this moment and said he heard the confession, it wouldn't mean anything. No one would be happy.
But what other way was there?
[You chose Option 2.]
In Silas's pocket was a treasure map newly drawn by Elisa—no longer the "paramecium" structure diagram from the beginning. The route was drawn very detailedly.
Treasures?
"..."
Silas crumpled the parchment into a ball and threw it away.
Now it wasn't just for the mission. Silas simply wanted Elisa to be normally in the room, wearing white silk, serving him. To force her to admit it herself without any heavy feelings, rather than a confession made during a life-and-death parting.
Knowing that fire was extremely effective against them.
In the past, to lure rabbits... he didn't hesitate to die many times to wipe them out in one go. But this time it wasn't a split; there were simply too many Living Dead.
"..."
Silas stood up, thinking if there was a way to cut off the continuous flow of Living Dead to the Holy City. Divide the battlefield, at least give Elisa a chance to breathe in the city.
"Mmh?"
His gaze suddenly caught the "pillow" in the Wild Boar Cave. It was a bundle of dry grass Elisa had brought from somewhere to use as a pillow for him.
It seemed he had seen these round bundles of grass on the road when he left the city. They seemed completely unaffected by the rain and remained very dry.
Wait.
This grass... could it be the tumbleweed that was often reported in America in his previous life?