Invent a custom associated with the Serpent of Fate and ensure it spreads widely, establishing a stable source of believers for the Serpent of Fate. Reward: One portion of Fate’s Joy.
Eliminate several key believers of the evil god—for example, Morgan Aladdin, residing in the Picardy District, a follower of the God of Delight; or Neal, from the Galon District, who is also devoted to the God of Delight. Other followers include Turen, Madi, Ausans, Lux, and Mason, from the Rosé District and Mavinsado District. These individuals worship an evil god who steals human joy, leaving only misery. Displeasing this god will determine the reward, ranging from one to three portions of Fate’s Joy.
Secretly inscribe the Serpent of Fate’s sigil in hidden corners of the Gate of Radiance. Avoid detection. The longer the sigil remains, the greater the reward: if it lasts a year, one portion of Fate’s Joy will be granted; if it lasts three years, an additional portion; if five years… It’s best to erase it beforehand, as the Serpent’s tolerance is capped at three years. Even I tremble when the Radiant Lord is enraged.
Kick a high-ranking priest of the Radiant Lord in the rear—or a more sensitive area. The higher the priest’s rank and cultivation level, and the harder the kick, the greater the reward. No reward for targets below the Advanced rank. Kicking a high-ranking priest hard enough to humiliate them earns one portion of Fate’s Joy; kicking a Saint-rank priest into a howl of pain yields three portions.
Write a novel about the Lady of the Black Moon! Make sure to depict her as enamored with me while staying within bounds that won’t provoke her anger. If anything happens, deny my involvement! However, don’t worry too much—her temper is so fiery, she’s unlikely to give you a chance to defend yourself. Sell more than 10,000 copies for one portion of Fate’s Joy; exceed 30,000 copies for another; reach 100,000 copies for a third; every additional 100,000 copies will yield one more portion, with no cap on rewards.
...
Charlot Mecklenburg’s hands trembled as he read the thick divine edict. Most of these tasks amounted to incitement to self-destruction—the bigger the risk, the more joy it brought the Serpent of Fate. The God of Merriment, of course, had no intention of bearing any consequences.
The suggestion to kick a high priest of the Radiant Lord made Charlot immediately think of High Priest Auguslatin. But this priest wasn’t just any high-ranking official—he was a genuine Saint-rank! Protected by the Radiant Lord’s divine power, making him howl in pain was far beyond the ability of a mere Advanced transcendent. Even if Charlot managed it, how would he survive afterward? Auguslatin was no meek saint; he would undoubtedly retaliate.
Feigning compliance to fool the Serpent of Fate…
That would be courting disaster worse than the sum of 128 divine edicts.
With a sigh, Charlot put away the thick edict, muttering, “None of these tasks are easy!”
Annie Mecklenburg softly remarked, “Actually, the first task is quite simple.”
“We could publish a special edition of novels themed around the Serpent of Fate. Introduce a new character who frequently mentions customs related to the Serpent of Fate in each story. Once the series gains popularity, it might establish an entirely new tradition.”
Charlot’s eyes lit up at Annie’s suggestion. It sounded like the perfect way to appease the Serpent of Fate while minimizing personal risk. Furthermore, he could cleverly weave in elements involving the Lady of the Black Moon, creating an ambiguous dynamic between the two gods.
But how could he ensure ambiguity without angering the Lady of the Black Moon?
After pondering for a while, Charlot still couldn’t figure it out. He shared his thoughts with Annie, who gave him a mischievous smile. “Leave it to me. I have an idea.”
Overjoyed, Charlot exclaimed, “Annie, you truly possess both wisdom and beauty! What’s your plan?”
With a playful grin, Annie replied, “Make the two gods into the same gender.”
Charlot was stunned but eventually found the idea plausible.
Little did he know, Miss Gun-for-Hire was already preparing for a “big project.” Annie was well-versed in this kind of thing, an expert at navigating the edge of peril.
...
After spending some time at 221B Baker Street in Val-de-Vas, Charlot escorted Annie back to her residence on Elysée Avenue, No. 58. He then bought three portions of food and used the Infinite Mirror World to return to Mecklenburg Manor.
With a serious expression, he declared, “Frederica, Sophia, I’ve brought back some delicious food for you.”
Frederica and Sophia Gallanord were engrossed in their books, unaware that Charlot had managed to squeeze in a date amidst his busy schedule. Seeing him return with food, they silently praised his thoughtfulness.
Yes—thoughtfulness befitting a scoundrel.
After dining together, Charlot sent the two ladies home, inviting them to return the following day. He instructed the servants at Mecklenburg Manor to extend the utmost courtesy to both ladies, regardless of whether he was present.
Frederica felt something was amiss.
Sophia, however, clenched her fists in triumph, proud to have earned Charlot’s trust and free access to the manor.
...
The next morning, Charlot read in the newspaper about a major event.
A joint fleet of the Fars Empire and the Ingrima Empire had clashed with the Byron fleet in the Giant Whale Sea, resulting in the largest naval battle in recorded history. Over twenty magical alchemy battleships and 700 conventional warships, involving more than 200,000 personnel, had participated in the conflict.
The outcome was staggering:
Ingrima had lost nearly 100 warships and two magical alchemy battleships. Fars fared worse, losing over 100 conventional ships and five magical alchemy battleships to the ocean depths.
By comparison, Byron emerged relatively unscathed, losing fewer than 150 warships and four magical alchemy battleships.
The Northern Fleet of Duchess Mesu had carried out diversionary attacks, targeting Byron’s key military ports. This strategic maneuver spared them from the main battle.
Menielman Soumet’s fleet, not part of the official royal navy, was also absent from the fray. However, upon learning of the great battle, Menielman rushed to the scene, where two retreating Byron magical alchemy battleships fell into her path. Despite losing six or seven conventional warships, she captured both vessels with her formidable strength.
This brought Byron’s magical alchemy battleship losses to six, matching the combined losses of Ingrima and Fars.
Menielman’s triumph earned her widespread acclaim. The Imperial Rose Fleet reigned supreme in the Giant Whale Sea, prompting even Duchess Mesu to acknowledge, “When the Soumet family’s rose blooms, even I pale in comparison.”