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“So sleepy…”

After entertaining Luna the entire night without sleep, Lilith’s eyelids began waging a battle against drowsiness after a moment of relaxing on the couch.

The screen continued showing the boring fireworks. Despite their initial beauty and brilliance that rivaled the ones in a night sky, the novelty had worn off.

Hmm… Luna’s chest is so soft and makes a great pillow…

Lilith’s consciousness was slipping away…

“Please draw lots for your team.”

A monotonous feminine voice suddenly came from the spectrum stone above the screen, startling Lilith awake.

A glowing ball of light rose from the coffee table.

“Please appoint a representative to put their hand into the Orb of Universal Knowledge for the drawing of lots. Those who fail to draw within the time limit will be disqualified.”

Lilith slapped her cheeks to shake off her drowsiness.

“Drawing lots in such an advanced way?”

Lilith curiously studied the ball of light before her. Initially pondering how the organizer could manage the lottery ceremony with so many teams, she now realized that this small ball of light was able to handle it effortlessly.

“What is the Orb of Universal Knowledge?”
“Just a toy from the Shadow Theocracy.”

Skarst returned the magazine to the bookshelf and took a seat on the couch.

“It was developed by a group of fanatics to pray to the goddess simultaneously. The interconnected orbs collect and share information at the same time, as well as provide feedback based on a set program. Due to its high construction cost and limited use, it hasn’t circulated widely on the continent.”

“I see. Big Brother, you seem to know everything.” Lilith looked at Skarst with admiration.

Skarst’s broad knowledge continued to surprise her, after shedding light on Elder White’s curse. He appeared to be more than just a low-ranked noble from a border region.

“Haha, as the saying goes, if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. Despite my age, I never stop learning,” Skarst responded cheerfully, though he never revealed what battles he chose to fight.

Uninterested in pressing further, Lilith quickly redirected her attention to the Orb of Universal Knowledge in front of them.

“Drawing lots huh?” Lilith rubbed her chin, then looked around and asked, “Who wants to do it?”
“I’m fine with whoever.”
“Why don’t you do it, Master Lilith?”
“Eeyah~”
“…”
“Fine, I’ll do it.”

Lilith pouted and followed the instructions, sticking her hand into the Orb of Universal Knowledge.

It felt warm inside, akin to dipping her hand into lukewarm water. However, there was nothing inside it. Lilith’s hand could not grasp anything.

About ten seconds later, the Orb of Universal Knowledge shook slightly, and a bright red number gradually formed on its surface.

333.

Lilith frowned. The number seemed too far back.

Considering the format of the tournament, which involved matches between teams of five, waiting for their turn could take a significant amount of time.

Maybe… I can take a nap in the meantime?

“Don’t worry, Master Lilith.”

As if reading Lilith’s thoughts, Luna covered her mouth and chuckled. “The first round of the Martial God Tournament has always had a three-day duration. It won’t be a long wait.”

“Three days?” Lilith raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

“How can it be done in only three days with tens of thousands of people and thousands of teams competing? Even such a big group of chickens pecking at each other would take more than ten days. Besides, this isn’t a group fight, how can it be finished so quickly?”

“Don’t worry. The Martial God Tournament in the Holy Dragon Empire has been held hundreds of times without any issues.”

“Alright then.”

Since Luna expressed such confidence, Lilith could only trust her. She slumped back onto the couch again, staring boredly at the screen in front of her.

The fireworks display had just concluded, so the audience’s attention returned to the arena stage. With a mechanical humming sound, one of the walls slowly parted.

“Oooooh, the host has appeared.”
“Ladies and gentlemen…”

The host’s opening speech began, following the typical and overused template used in countless events. It was so dull that Lilith could not help but yawn.

Luna took a look and immediately lost her interest too. “This guy is the host again this year? How boring.”

The light in Lilith’s eyes dimmed, resembling the dead gaze of a dead fish. She could predict the host’s next moves—guest introduction, sponsor acknowledgments, and lengthy speeches before the real program began.

Lilith, having foreseen the upcoming sequence of events, turned around and buried her face into the soft mounds beside her.

How boring. I’ll catch a nap.

“Sitting beside me is the special guest of this occasion, the exceptionally talented Miss Fenice…”

Hehe. Just as I thought. He’s introducing the guest now. After that, it’s going to be…

Huh? Huuuh? Huuuuuuuuuh?

What was the name of the special guest again? Benice? Beatrix? Phoenix? Haha, it can’t be Fenice, right? Isn’t that woman busy healing her tongue on Dragon Island right now?

“Luna, can you tell me what the guest of honor looks like?” Lilith asked, not bothering to look at the screen.

“Huh?” Though confused by Lilith’s sudden request, Luna replied dutifully, “Hmm… she’s a beauty…”

“Get to the point.”

“A refined and extremely mature lady.”
“Too vague.”
“Hmm… Wise… She has eyes that seem like they could see through everything…”

Phew… Lilith breathed a sigh of relief. Wise? Good. Definitely not the idiot I know…

I didn’t expect to encounter someone with the same name as her. This must be a special kind of fate. Ha… Fate is such a mysterious—…

“Go Liᵒᵒᵒ! Our eyes have been on you! Go Liᵒᵒᵒ, as the ᵒᵒᵒ of the ᵒᵒᵒ, we, the ᵒᵒᵒ, will be sure to ᵒᵒᵒ you, so please be sure to ᵒᵒᵒ your ᵒᵒᵒ! From all the ᵒᵒᵒ.”

Wait, that’s the idiot I know! The only one who can speak normally while making bizarre censoring noises like that is someone with a tongue so long it can wrap around her body three times! And she was definitely directing that at me!

Lilith’s drowsiness vanished instantly. She wiped her face with her hand and slowly raised her gaze, the corners of her mouth twitching.

On the screen, seated on the host stage, was that incredibly familiar figure—Fenice, the very one Lilith knew.

All sense of relief shattered, and Lilith felt a pang in her heart as if it had been broken into pieces.

“Not good, not good!”

According to the Cockroach Law of the Dragon Race, discovering one dragon in the open suggested that there were more lurking in the shadows!

Lilith moved closer to the screen, her eyes scanning as she looked around.

Although the dragons are a bunch of extremely bored fellows, the queen’s restrictions still held sway over them! The fact that Fenice was censoring part of her speech indicated that the restrictions were still in effect!

Considering Fenice’s words, Lilith could only draw one conclusion…