Chapter 23: Empress Lea
At the same time
Miracle Fountain, located on the opposite side of the jungle
“Ah… No…!”
Lion, the current emperor of the empire, could not believe his eyes.
Just moments ago, the Spring was full, but now the water level was dropping.
The miraculous water that filled the spring was beginning to disappear.
“Why… Why is this happening?!”
The emperor hastily jumped into the fountain, trying to scoop up the remaining water.
His clothes and body were soaked, but he didn’t care.
This miracle had filled his bleak future with abundance.
The last hope and the bright future of the empire were vanishing before his eyes.
“Please… please stop… stop right here!!!!”
Despite his desperate efforts to gather the water, it all evaporated and disappeared.
Thud.
“It’s over.”
The emperor fell to his knees, powerless.
The miracle was gone. His confidence, his golden hair, everything about him as a man would disappear.
How did it come to this?
He recalled the message that appeared before his eyes a moment ago:
– The Great Jungle of Miracles on the 4th floor of the Tower of Labyrinth has been cleared by player ‘Lea’ and 0 others.
– Due to player ‘Lea’s choice, all maps within the Great Jungle of Miracles are now closed to all players except for a select few.
– The expulsion of currently logged-in players will now commence.
Was it because the floor had been conquered by the former emperor?
To make this fountain belong to the empire, he had asked Empress Lea to destroy the enormous tower in the middle of the jungle.
He thought the fourth floor would belong to the empress and the fountain would be absorbed by the empire, but it vanished.
His greed to monopolize the miracle brought disaster.
The miracle fountain was a support item for clearing the Great Jungle of Miracles by removing debuffs.
Once the floor was cleared, there was no reason for it to exist anymore.
The emperor did not know this.
“How will I face the former emperors…”
He collapsed to the ground, dazed.
Ding.
– The labyrinth shop is now open to all players as the 4th floor of the Tower of Labyrinth has been cleared.
“Labyrinth shop?”
The emperor stood up, looking at the sudden notification.
A shop that seemed to sell items related to the labyrinth.
“Could it be…”
A glimmer of hope crossed the emperor’s mind.
If the miraculous water could be obtained from this shop?
He hurriedly opened the Ludera interface and pressed the button he found after searching through it.
“Entering labyrinth shop.”
Paaat.
When the light that blocked his vision disappeared,
“This is…”
A vast, infinite warehouse larger than the imperial palace unfolded before his eyes.
“God’s… warehouse?”
A voice came from behind him.
“Are you Albus?”
Albus stepped back slightly and observed the woman before him.
She wore an old-fashioned dress and was adorned with numerous accessories.
She appeared to be a beautiful woman in her late twenties.
Her demeanor and tone suggested she was of considerable status.
Albus opened the status window of the woman in front of him.
Ding.
‘Imperator Lea Ahenobarbus’
Title: Iron-Blooded Empress, Mistress of Demons, Goddess of the Empire
LV 357
Class: None
Status: Spirit
“Lea? Is this the player who cleared the 4th floor solo?”
The name had appeared in the recent clear message.
A level in the 300s, indicating she was a transcendent who had overcome countless barriers.
It made sense why she could clear the fourth floor.
“But… Iron-Blooded Empress? The empress who ruled during the empire’s most powerful period?”
Seeing a historical figure come to life was shocking.
The emperors of the empire seem to be always alive, popping up here and there.
“Did I not ask?”
Lea slowly descended from her throne.
“Are you Albus?”
“……!”
Lea approached Albus, her finger gently brushing his chin, sending chills down his spine.
How does she know my name?
Even after changing my appearance…
Lea was a transcendent in the 300s and the Iron-Blooded Empress.
To Albus, who had all the GM privileges, she was merely a player.
He could expel her with a word.
But her actions suggested she knew him.
He decided to observe her further to gather information.
“Hm… You seem quite shy. How adorable.”
Tap.
Lea placed a hand on Albus’s head.
“I can read your memories at will.”
!
Memory-reading magic.
Her unique spell, developed personally.
This spell had allowed her to punish all traitors and establish the continent’s most powerful hegemon.
She used this magic frequently, even on her closest confidants and her brother.
“But for some reason, I do not wish to use it on you. You are too precious for that. Such a mysterious feeling.”
Lea stroked Albus’s head and withdrew her hand.
Albus closed the command window he had hastily opened.
‘She seems to have taken a liking to me for some reason…’
She was not hostile, at least.
If she had tried to read his memory, he would have deleted her to prevent it.
Since she refrained, he decided to watch her a bit longer.
“Who are you?”
“……!”
Lea’s eyes widened at his question.
“What a splendid voice. How can even your voice be beautiful?”
She used magic discreetly to dry the moisture from her undergarments.
“I am the great empress of the empire, Lea Ahenobarbus.”
“Empress…?”
“I understand it is hard to believe. It has been centuries since I died. However, I have been resurrected. Through a special technique I created.”
“Resurrected? Is that possible…?”
“Though it is an abnormal resurrection, manifesting the soul, I should have perished after a few hours. But I did not, due to the special nature of this world.”
Albus now understood the situation.
How the Iron-Blooded Empress, known to have died centuries ago, was here.
Why her status showed as a spirit.
‘The soul-consuming technique temporarily resurrected her, but in virtual reality, she can exist permanently.’
Not all emperors of the empire are immortal, it seems.
It was a rare case involving the first emperor and this empress.
‘I understand why she’s here, but…’
Why does she know my name?
And why did she recognize me despite my changed appearance?
Albus pondered whether to reveal his identity.
It posed a risk of exposing his real-world identity.
Lea spoke as she watched him hesitate.
“I apologize.”
“……?”
“I unintentionally threatened you.”
Lea took Albus’s hands and held them together.
“Do not be afraid. I am on your side.”
……?
*We just met…*
Lea smiled warmly.
If her past retainers saw this, they would be astounded.
She was called the Iron-Blooded Empress for never showing emotion.
Even when she physically succeeded the throne from her father, even when she ripped her rebelling brother’s throat, her expression never changed.
Now she smiled with maternal kindness.
“It seems the god of this world wishes us to be together. I am also very fond of you.”
Lea brought Albus’s hands to her chest.
Thump.
His hands were enveloped between two round, soft, warm mounds.
“Can you hear it? The sound of my heart trembling.”
Lea whispered in his ear.
“……!”
“It is all because of you. Not even the fiercest battlefield made my heart tremble.”
Lea’s lips approached Albus’s ear.
At that moment,
BOOM!
A destructive energy poured from the sky like a dragon’s breath. Lea’s shield flickered as it enveloped her body.
“Didn’t I choose to expel all intruders…?”
On the opposite side, a red-haired woman held Albus, glaring at Lea.
Countless magic circles formed behind Lea.
“Did I make a mistake?”
“How dare a lowly creature try to steal my precious treasure…”
With clenched teeth, Carthesia extended her hand, forming a dragon’s head shape.
In the middle of the Great Jungle,
BOOM!
The powers of two strong individuals clashed.