Chapter 053 – No, Matthew
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Moonlight filtered through the body of the owl, casting a vague white shadow behind her. Matthew couldn't make out her features, only discerning a faint silhouette of a woman.
She gave off an aura of beauty, purity, gentleness, and subtlety.
"Goddess."
Matthew slightly bowed, as a sign of respect.
"I came for you."
Asiya didn't beat around the bush, but chose to get straight to the point with a smile:
"You must be wondering why I would offer so much help without asking for anything in return. It's because I hope to have your assistance, even your protection, in the upcoming changes."
Matthew nodded slightly, showing his willingness to listen attentively.
"The Odd-numbered Day Change is approaching, and Aindora will face the darkest and most turbulent period since the Enlightenment Era. Countless evils sealed in the ancient times are awakening. The most tragic thing for the creatures of this continent is not only that they will have to fight against the twilight creations, divine monsters, and other creatures with their mortal bodies, but also that the Gods who fought alongside them in the last dark period are now standing against them."
Asiya didn't shy away from mentioning the Gods, as if she wasn't one of them.
Her eyes were filled with a gentle smile:
"For the Gods, the best news is that the Catastrophe has left. However, this is exactly what the Seven Holy Alliance and you least want to hear. Regardless, this is a fact. Darkness and turbulence are coming, Matthew. It won't arrive overnight, but it's already on its way."
Matthew asked in a deep voice:
"What exactly is the Odd-numbered Day Change? How are you so sure that the Catastrophe Mage has left Aindora? What if she comes back?"
Asiya seemed to be prepared and immediately replied:
"The operation of the universe follows seemingly random yet traceable theorems, and so does our Plane. Darkness and light always coexist. Before the Enlightenment Era, the Gods and mortals together eliminated most of the dark creatures on this Plane, but they were not completely destroyed, they just hid quietly, waiting for a chance to make a comeback."
"The Odd-numbered Day Change is such an era. When that day officially arrives, the power of all evil creatures will inflate to an unimaginable extent, and the power symbolizing light will be infinitely weakened according to the law of one's loss is another's gain."
"As for the Catastrophe, her arrival has prematurely triggered the Odd-numbered Day Change. If it weren't for the unexpected ascension of the Heavenly Palace, the power of the Gods would be enough to suppress those evil creatures—at least for an additional 1000 years."
"In fact, we can't be sure whether the Catastrophe has left or not. But for the Gods who are weak, dying, and harboring centuries of anger, this is the best opportunity. They are preparing to unite and do something that could overturn the world's laws. Due to the need for counter-divination, I can't tell you the details of that matter. You just need to know that the Aindora Continent will gradually enter a turbulent era."
"Everyone will be swept into the war and conflicts, no one can escape."
During her speech.
There was a hint of pity in her tone and expression.
"They?"
Matthew looked at Asiya with doubt.
Did the Goddess of Moonlight mean that she was not one of the Gods causing trouble?
"Otherwise?"
There was a hint of dissatisfaction and resentment in Asiya's tone:
"If I were willing to collude with them, why do you think I voluntarily gave up the divine position of 'Moon' when the Heavenly Palace was forced to ascend, leaving only 'Moonlight'?"
Asiya used to be the Goddess of the Moon?
She voluntarily gave up the divine position of the Moon?
Matthew realized he had learned a very secret piece of information.
"Of course, I admit that giving up that part of the divine position allowed me to better preserve myself during the ascension of the Heavenly Palace—that Catastrophe set the rule that 'the weaker you are, the closer you are to the mortal world', and moonlight is the medium that can get closest to the material world, so I became one of the few existences among the Gods that can influence the mortal world."
Asiya continued:
"But I really can't stand what they are doing. I didn't participate in the three major curses, which is clear evidence—if you doubt this, you can go and verify it with the people of the Seven Holy Alliance."
Matthew nodded.
He was willing to believe Asiya, after all, it wouldn't be difficult to verify such a thing.
"So, what do you want me to do for you?"
Matthew asked.
Asiya candidly said:
"I believe that the Gods' mad actions are unlikely to succeed, they are bound to fail, which will cause irreversible damage to the Heavenly Palace. At that time, I will also be affected. I hope that if such a situation really occurs, you can provide me with some protection."
Matthew asked in surprise:
When you're just trying to make great content at pawread.com .
"Why me? I'm just a second-tier mage."
Asiya sighed lightly:
"The first reason is, I can't find anyone else. Under the efforts of the Seven Holy Alliance, the gods, especially in the eyes of mages, have become synonymous with evil. The Moonlit Grove hasn't produced a new druid in many years. My influence in the mortal world is gradually waning, and just at this time, you appeared before me."
"The second reason is, I believe you have a promising future. You have Ronan's guardian deity. I know that guy, he wouldn't waste his few guardian deities on someone without potential."
Matthew was slightly startled.
He hadn't even noticed that Archmage Ronan had bestowed him with a 'Guardian Deity'!
And hearing this from Asiya's mouth was, in a sense, a sign of goodwill.
"By the way, is Archmage Ronan really trapped in the Star Realm? Is this part of the gods' plan?"
Matthew hurriedly asked.
Asiya blinked:
"That's a topic I can't discuss."
"But I can assure you, a troublemaker like Ronan won't die so easily."
Matthew understood instantly, interpreting at least three pieces of information:
Ronan was indeed trapped in the Star Realm;
This was the work of the gods;
Ronan was unlikely to die.
Matthew pondered.
He sorted through the goddess's words, and after finding no flaws, he said:
"I am willing to provide you with some protection within my capabilities, but the final interpretation of this protection still lies with me. The extent to which I can do this will depend on how much value you can provide me."
His words were very blunt.
But they were honest.
Asiya, hearing this, was not angry but happy. She laughed lightly as she looked at Matthew:
"What do you need me to provide, young necromancer?"
Seeing this, Matthew simply asked:
"I want to know to what extent you can go?"
Asiya boldly said:
"If you become strong enough in the upcoming Dark Age, then you can have a wife who was once the Moon Goddess."
"Just a wife?"
Unconsciously, Matthew was getting a bit carried away.
Asiya gave him a resentful look:
"What else do you want to do, greedy necromancer?"
At this point.
Her approachable aura suddenly receded.
A sense of supreme authority pressed directly on Matthew's chest!
Matthew almost knelt down.
"I am the Moon Goddess, not to be blasphemed!"
Asiya suddenly switched to a sacred and inviolable face, her eyes full of disdain and disgust as she looked at Matthew:
"Dirty and weak necromancer, a mere second-tier strength and you want to touch the celestial maiden of the moon?"
"I could crush you like an ant."
With that.
The shadow made of moonlight walked towards Matthew.
Matthew's vision seemed to freeze.
Between the spinning of the sky and the earth.
All he could see were those fair, bare feet stepping on the barren ground.
Those cute and playful toes were so tantalizing to him.
"It's a charm..."
Matthew shook his head hard.
The 'Restraint' domain suddenly unfolded!
But this was not enough to immediately break the goddess's charm, instead, it made Matthew fall into a longer tug-of-war.
He didn't know how long it had been.
He woke up suddenly from that dazed state.
His back was soaked.
His lips were incredibly dry.
Matthew knelt on one knee, panting heavily.
"Phew, the goddess really knows how to play... so powerful."
Recalling the recent experience, Matthew felt a thrill. He possessed the 'Heart Like Still Water', and his will attribute was not low, he could resist the charm of Fairy Princess Lulu and the Succubus, but in front of the Moon Goddess, all this almost fell apart!
Gods, they are indeed powerful.
At this moment, he felt a burning sensation in his chest. Looking down, he saw that there was another message on his believer's badge.
...
"Before the Dark Age arrives, the number of warlocks on this continent will increase a hundredfold. Remember to be careful of the Cataclysm Church. By the way, your will is good, I'm very satisfied."
...
Warlocks, huh?
Matthew pondered.
At this moment.
Ella, who had been possessed by the goddess, finally woke up.
She looked at Matthew, who was kneeling on one knee, in a daze and said in surprise:
"Matthew, what's with this pose?"
Then.
Miss Owl's voice became shy:
"Oh my, I've heard that this is the fixed pose humans use when proposing for a mate, could it be?"
"You can't, Matthew."
Matthew was left speechless by her.
He was about to explain.
But he heard Ella say:
"You can't, at least not until you master the Wild Form of the Owl."
Matthew was completely stunned.
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